All's Fair in Love and War
by xXNaruMayoiXx
Summary: Dawn Berlitz was the beautiful daughter of a rich and powerful king. Paul Shinji was an exile from a poor mining village. They were as different as night and day, yet they begin to fall for each other. Can their love survive arrows and cannons?
1. Prologue

All's Fair in Love and War

_she was a princess, he was an exiled orphan_

_what good can come out of their love?_

disclaimer; I don't own Pokemon, nor any of the characters you see in this fic. Unfortunately: if I did, I'd make Ikarishipping canon. But it's not. So. Yeah.

prologue

It was nearing the beginning of fall, when the leaves turned shades of gold, orange, and red, falling to the ground in a blanket of colour.

The kingdom of Kyrin was no different. The Palace overlooked the sloping hills, bordered by a gently trickling brook. The village past the hills was small and quaint, though the villagers frequently keeled over from hunger, when the cruel winds of poverty descended on them.

Little did they know, the arrival of one new villager would cause the kingdom to spin into chaos.

Clip clop, clip clop

Hoof beats on earth.

Clip clop, clip clop

The sky was painted with majestic hues of orange and red, clouds drifting by lazily. Faint rays of sunlight streamed in through the curtains of clouds, the only touch of light in an otherwise gloomy setting.

"Don't you simply love autumn, Ash?" a feminine voice questioned, the first rider appearing through a haze of gray. She rode sidesaddle, mounted on a steed that was a picture of nobility, its head held high and proud with a sense of leadership. White gloved hands held the purple tasseled reins both skillfully and nimbly. Her intelligent azure eyes scanned her surroundings, taking in the land. "The beautiful sunsets, the leaves that blanket the earth in vibrant colours, the brisk wind that chills your skin to the bone."

"I'm not sure, I think I much prefer spring." Ash said doubtfully, his liquid brown eyes wide. "I like the feeling of warm raindrops falling on my skin. It feels nice, really."

The girl let out a chiming laugh, almost a dainty giggle. She clasped her gloved hand over her mouth as she laughed, out of habit. Her hair bobbed as she turned her look at the villager, who was now fumbling for his reins.

"Only you would enjoy being rained on, Ash Ketchum," Dawn said truthfully, her eyes glimmering.

"It's not a bad thi-" Ash stopped, shock taking over the boy's features. "Sorry, Princess Berlitz."

"Don't call me that when we're in the wilderness." The girl said firmly, her midnight blue tresses swaying slightly. "Call me Dawn. No more manners, just be yourself. If not for these regular meetings, I would have been driven to insanity with all the rigidity in the Berlitz Estate."

"Well, don't turn insane during your reign." he said simply, amusement lighting up his eyes.

"If I do, I'll make a new law, which states that all village folk with messy black hair, brown eyes, and go by the name of Ash Ketchum are my personal servants for eternity." Dawn joked, her azure eyes bright.

"That's not fair!" Ash exclaimed in indignation, but Dawn nudged her steed on the sides and she took off, galloping. Ash followed with much less flair, bobbing up and down in the saddle.

Dawn leaned back in the saddle slightly, and her dark bay stallion stopped abruptly. Sun, the Ponyta Ash was riding, was a scruffy chestnut Dawn had rescued from the gluemaker.

"Look, the cliffs of Esaria." Dawn whispered, admiring the steep cliffs that seemed to jut out from the ocean, piercing the sky like a blade crafted from stone.

Ash tugged on Sun's reins, and the pony whinnied in frustration, before reluctantly stopping. Sun seemed to debate the idea of throwing Ash off into the crashing sea foam under him, but he soon decided it was a poor idea.

"Man, those cliffs would give me nightmares as a ki-" Ash's sentence was cut off sharply as a low rumble sounded from behind the villager.

Hhhhrrraaoooouu...

There was no mistaking it. It was a Persian, and a very peeved one at that.

"We must have intruded on its territory!" Dawn gasped, her blue eyes wide in fear.

Sun was whinnying in distress, giving rearing slightly on her hind legs. Ash clung on for dear life, and Dawn quickly grabbed one of Sun's reins and made a soft clucking noise.

The Persian advanced, her dark brown eyes gleaming, a soft growl escaping her throat as she eyed the Ponyta almost greedily.

"She wants Sun!" Dawn cried, standing over the Ponyta protectively. Her stallion, Aristotle, pounded his hooves near the Persian's chest, and the cat slinked back, hissing and clawing fiercely at Aristotle.

Dawn dismounted quickly, understanding the look Aristotle gave her. The dark bay stallion lowered his head, his flames' intensity growing as the scorched Persian yowled in pain. Aristotle brought his rock sharp hooves down on the Persian's flank, before picking up the Persian with his horn and flinging her into a group of jagged rocks.

The Persian was furious, spitting and howling in rage. Her eyes smoldered in fury and defiance, a gash on her flank bleeding heavily. Aristotle was gasping for breath, a look of challenge in his eyes.

The great cat launched herself at Aristotle, clawing him on the shoulder. Terrified neighs rang in the air almost ominously, and Aristotle threw the cat off before sinking to a knee.

Dawn ran in front of her stallion, shielding him with her own body. Ash shouted unintelligible words, before leaping off Sun and trying to calm the frantic horses.

As they neared closer to the edge of the cliff, cornered by an raging Persian, the sea crashed into the rocks, each wave reverberating louder each time.

An arrow flew through the air, piercing the flank of the Persian. As it opened its mouth briefly in confusion, another arrow lodged itself in the roof of its mouth. The Persian female started screaming in pain, trying desperately to rid itself of the arrow. The first arrow fell off, a rivet of blood streaming down its leg. A swipe of its outstretched claws brought the arrow in her jaw out, though both puncture holes were gushing blood. Blood stained the great cat's once cream fur, until it was a striking scarlet colour, dying the grass under it a sickly maroon. It let out another hoarse snarl, before its eyes went glassy and her muscles loosened.

"Hah. I should have expected it. Typical royals, weak and defenseless." a voice startled the princess and the villager. As Dawn turned around, a shadowy figure of a boy appeared. He had fair skin and a handsome face, with long purple locks. He would have been quite handsome, if not for the grime and dirt that covered his skin and clothing. A bow was in his hands, an arrow still ready to strike.

"Wh...who are you?" Dawn demanded, her face flushed with fear. She watched the boy carefully. He was incredibly skilled with that bow, capable of killing the both of them silently and leave without a trace.

"What? Going to have Daddy put me in the stocks? Going to hang me?" the boy sneered. Dawn raised an eyebrow. Cheeky little bugger, she mused. "I've escaped death before, how's this any different?"

"Don't talk to Princess Dawn like that!" Ash shouted, and the boy merely smirked.

"My, Princess, I would have thought better of you. Hanging around such... common filth." the archer said calmly, his dark onyx gaze chilling Dawn.

"It's okay, Ash." Dawn put an arm in front of Ash, blocking his path. Her azure eyes were fixed on the boy before her, watching his every movement. "No, you're wrong. I only wish to thank you for your heroic deed. If not for you, I believe the Persion could very well have slayed us and the horses."

"No royal ever thanks a villager." he said icily, a sneer playing on his lips. "What's to stop me from leaving?"

"Nothing." Dawn said simply, her voice clear as she walked towards the boy. "But if you leave, you may miss out on a fantastic reward."

That did it. The purple haired teenager stared at the princess, before slightly dropping his head.

"What's your name?" Dawn questioned kindly. The boy looked up slightly, his eyes cold and unwavering.

"Paul. Paul Shinji."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** There, that wasn't too bad, was it? This fic's been in production for quite a while, maybe three or four months. I initially wrote it like this, but thought it was too short and added a bunch of unnecessary adjectives to it. Then I decided the words were too flowery, so I rewrote it again. A royal waste of time. xD Anyway, I thought it'd be nice to post this in light of the actual Royal Wedding. Reviews, please? (:


	2. I: The Lighting of the Fuse

first off, i'd like to thank all of you for your kind reviews. my inspiration for this story suddenly died, and it appeared that furiously reading moving shadows (fantastic fic, btw, go check it out if you're an ace attorney fan). i'd like to apologize in advance. plainly said, i suck at writing historical fiction. if anything is wrong with this fic in terms of royal tradition, i apologize. It's au, however, so can we pretend that the au royal kingdom functions like that? ^-^; i also understand that many of the words dawn or gary says may not have been used in the time of long ago, but, as i said before, it's au, so things are allowed to be slightly different, i suppose.

this chapter isn't very fluffy, but it serves a purpose that you will find out at the end of the chapter, as well as be a starting point for several side plots in the story.

Disclaimer; i don't own pokemon or any of its characters, or pearl fey, the princess who's surname is mentioned in the chapter. pearl fey is owned by capcom.

* * *

><p><em>chapter one;<em>

_the lighting of the fuse;_

_a lit match, a tiny flame_

_flickers in the air_

_unintimidating, powerless_

_until it licks the fuse_

_with hunger, thirst_

_burning brightly_

_it reaches the end_

_destruction_

x.x.

"Princess!" Genevieve, Dawn's maidservant, gasped, rushing over to the dirtied princess. "How...?"

"We were outside when a female Persian attacked us. I fear we were intruding onto its territory." Dawn responded, her tone refined and light again.

"Your dress! It's in tatters! And you were so enthusiastic when you received it from the dressmakers, too! Was the villager the cause of it?" Genevieve pursed her lips, looking disdainfully at the villager before her.

"No, Genevieve, I assume full responsibility. I pursuaded Ash to join me at Esaria Point, where we encountered the Persian. I am not upset about the dress, though, I worry for Aristotle, who suffered injuries while defending us." Dawn said slightly urgently. "May you please call the equine medic?"

"Very well, Princess." Genevieve said slowly, looking at Ash curtly. "With all due respect, I believe you should leave now."

"Goodbye, Ash." Dawn smiled, heading back to her bedchamber to change out of her tattered dress.

She lay on her bed, sinking into the plush mattress. She snuggled under the satin comforter, staring at the maroon curtains of her four poster bed. Dawn found her mind wandering to the strange boy she saw today, and his fearlessness towards the royal family.

"Not the average civilian, hm?" the princess mused, her blue eyes trained on the large window in her room. Birds fluttered about, the air filled with a chorus of birdsong as males tried to attract the attention of female birds.

"Princess! Please, get dressed, we are due to arrive at Prince Shigeru's palace in two days time! We are already tardy! Please, do hurry!" Genevieve exclaimed, her voice filled with anxiety. Dawn mentally slapped herself. How could she have forgotten? Her father had arranged for a meeting between Prince Gary Shigeru and Dawn Berlitz, for a possible marriage arrangement. Prince Shigeru was the heir to the throne of the Shigeru Kingdom, a rich kingdom that spanned from Esaria Valley to the Cliffs of Ranvez, an area of approximately 800 square kilometres. Dawn had tried her best to ignore the meeting, which could account for her forgetting the meeting entirely.

She climbed off the bed, searching through her large wardrobe for an appropriate gown. She scrutized all her pieces before selecting her dress. It was a eggshell blue gown made of silk, that fell off her shoulders into puffed three quarter sleeves. It hugged her curves until her waist, where it fell loosely and gave the impression of her floating as she walked. Dawn completed the look by pulling on some loose white gloves and putting a flower in her hair. Slipping into black heels, her shoes peeked out of the hem of her blue dress.

"Princess!" Genevieve gasped breathlessly. "You look... stunning!"

"Thank you sincerely, Genevieve." Dawn smiled gratefully, lifting up her gown to climb onto the carriage, pulled by two beautiful snow white Rapidash. Dawn's own Taillow, an abandoned chick she had found, sat perched on her shoulder. Genevieve and King Berlitz gave her a disapproving look, but said nothing.

"Ah, what great fun. I look forward to affiliating with the kingdom of Shigeru in the near future." the king smiled. Dawn frowned. Did her father really intend for her to marry the prince, barely knowing him at all? She suppressed a growl. Of course, marriage in the royal family meant nothing but bringing allies to the kingdom, especially if you were a princess. Nobody ever truly married for love.

Other than a few words of stiff conversation from Genevieve, the ride to the palace was relatively quiet. As they pulled up into the palace, Dawn gasped in awe.

It was constructed entirely of marble, and it looked as if it were polished just yesterday. Carefully pruned bushes framed the palace, set against azure skies. Water trickled out in streams from the fountain surrounded by blooming perennials. Carriages pulled by coal black Rapidash circled the castle, before stopping in front of Princess Dawn.

"Ah, the Princess of Berlitz. Prince Shigeru is eager to meet you, as is the King and Queen. May we escort you to the castle?" a man stepped out, clad in a maroon and blue uniform, strikingly similar to that of a military man's uniform. He held out a hand to shake. "Victor von Esra, royal doorkeeper."

von Esra led the king and queen to a heavily guarded room, to meet the king and queen of the Shigeru kingdom. von Esra motioned for Dawn to follow another man, this time clad in navy blue. He offered a smile to the Princess.

"Davi von Esra, scribe." he offered a hand to Dawn, who shook it politely. "Victor von Esra's younger sibling. He requested my assistance in directing you to Prince Shigeru. I understand you two have a potential marriage arrangement?"

"Perhaps. We shall see how things turn out, will we not?" Dawn smiled wryly, following the young man, who looked to be no older than 25.

"The royal family is keen to form an alliance with that of the Berlitz family. We shall wait with baited breath for your response." von Esra smiled, but Dawn's heart sank inwardly. They were looking forward for their only son to marry a princess he had never yet met? Royal customs never failed to shock the princess. The younger von Esra stopped in front of an elaborately designed door, and nodded.

"The prince's room." he said, bowing down. "I must apologise sincerely, Princess, I have matters to attend to. I hope everything goes well."

Dawn knocked tentatively, and she heard a faint scuffle of footsteps. The door clicked open loudly, to reveal the face of the prince she would be inclined to marry.

Dawn was slightly relieved to find the Prince was blessed with looks. He had lightly tanned skin and hazel eyes brimming with kindness. The glimmer in his eyes showed he had a sense of humor, and his face was framed with light brown hair that fell in spikes. Then again, Dawn mused darkly, looks aren't everything.

"Princess." he acknowledged her, motioning for her to come in. He smiled.

"Well, this is a royal pain in the arse." he joked. "Not to mean any offence to you, of course."

Dawn was taken aback by his words, not expecting his unrefined words. However, she couldn't help herself, as she started laughing.

"I cannot say I disagree," she smiled, her azure eyes twinkling.

"I do not mean offence to you individually, but I've never particularly enjoyed these marriage arrangements." the prince said, frowning. "Oh, sorry, I haven't introduced myself. Formally Garrett Shigeru, but my acquaintences call me Gary."

"Garrett? It has a nice quality to it. Dawn Platina Berlitz, youngest daughter of King Hewitt Berlitz and Queen Aria Berlitz." Dawn smiled, offering a curt bow. Gary's eyebrows furrowed.

"Youngest daughter? Is it not usually the oldest daughter that is wed?" he questioned, and Dawn's eyes darkened.

"In most normal circumstances, yes, but my oldest sister was killed by bandits en route to a nearby kingdom, while my elder sister was branded a traitor and locked in the dungeons after she was revealed to have been leaking classified information to rival kingdoms." Dawn explained, and surprise took over the prince's features.

"I... I see. Do you not long for your sisters?" Gary questioned, his eyes dark.

"I suppose not. My eldest sister was killed when I was five years old, and therefore, I never knew her particularly well. My elder sister, Taeanna Berlitz, was always somewhat of a dark individual. She was easily angered and temperamental, and her personality was akin to that of a venomous snake. I never did like her, but I never in my dreams imagined she would betray us so." Dawn frowned. "I suppose I was never too close to my sisters, which could be the reason I didn't feel so emotional over their fates."

"I understand." he responded quietly, and his gaze flickered over to the window in the room they were currently in. His eyes softened. "You know, there's a reason I always hate these things."

"Why?" Dawn asked, surprised by the sudden change in his body language. He was hunched over, gazing out at the window.

"I detest these things, because I, frankly, find them useless. There's no point in marrying, in my belief, if you are not in love. And my affections are not up for grabs- they are already taken." Gary smiled, running a hand through his hair. The inner gossip girl in Dawn screamed for a name, but before she could prompt him, he began to speak again. "It's quite a shame, really. She's a village girl, down at Shigeru Falls. Her name is Leaf, orphaned as a child, raised by nature. She was taken in by a wealthy family in the richer districts, but she was always drawn to nature. She may be simple in terms of lifestyle, but she's beautiful. Fair skin, brown hair, and the most beautiful green eyes that seem to reflect the leaves surrounding her. But her beauty extends beyond appearance- her quiet demeanor, her kind and compassionate nature, and her ability to stand up for those she loves. I've met her only a few times, but I'm already hopeless."

Dawn was left momentarily speechless, the love in his voice seemed almost alien to her ears. She suddenly remembered the way her parents often stood stiffly beside each other, offering no words to exchange. She had always been under the impression in her mind that they were deeply in love, but she was beginning to doubt it as she grew older in age. There was no love lacing their words as they spoke to each other, as Gary's had when he spoke of this girl, Leaf. Her respect for the boy in front of her grew, as she realized how his unrequited love would never be- more than likely, he would be forced to marry a princess of another kingdom, as he watched his true love live her life without him.

"So, how about you?" his voice startled her, and she blinked, surprised. "Has anybody caught the eye of the elusive Princess Berlitz?" he grinned cheekily, as Dawn felt her face heating up, no doubt flushed a deep red.

"I... ah... that is to say..." she stammered, and he let out a soft chuckle.

"Is there a boy that you think of with every minute that passes? A boy who makes your heart skip with every word he speaks to you, with every gaze he locks with you? A boy you cannot go a day without?" he asked, and Dawn's eyes fell to the floor. The corners of Gary's mouth lifted. "I see I have unearthed something. Would you care to share?"

She barely registered his words. All she could think about was the boy she had seen yesterday. The look in his eyes, the way his hairs fell over his eyes roguishly. It was so different from the soft, perfect faces she had grown accustomed to seeing, and yet, she was enraptured. She had never thought that she would feel so strongly for him when she had barely spoken to him, and yet, she knew Gary was right. She did have feelings for him.

"Uh...um, yes." she choked out hoarsely, refusing to meet Gary's eyes, instead focusing her gaze on the Rapidash in the front gates, pulling an ivory white carriage no doubt carrying the next potential wife for the prince. "I... I do."

"Would you care to elaborate?" he questioned, and Dawn knew, subconsciously, that she could trust him.

"A... a few days ago... a friend of mine, a villager, and I, were out in the countryside. I was riding my Rapidash, and my friend, Ash Ketchum, was riding a Ponyta. We were opposite the cliffs of Esaria, on a steep rocky incline, when a female Persian attacked us. We were corned against the cliffs, when this... boy appeared. He was amazingly skilled with an arrow, and killed the Persian with two arrows- one to the mouth, one to the flank. He seemed different- he wasn't intimidated by my royal status, he seemed almost mocking." she paused, thinking over her next words. "He... he had this roguish look to him. His face was handsome, but smeared with dirt and mud, purple locks framing his face. He was different, and for some reason unknown to me, I began to harbor feelings for him. I don't even understand why, I've only spoken to him once before, and he seemed cold and aloof. I suppose my heart just enjoys to play cruel jokes on me."

Gary seemed deep in thought. He smiled slightly.

"I can see where this is going. I had a good friend, his name was Silver. Strange name, I know, and he acted strikingly similarly to this boy you speak of. He had red hair and crimson eyes, and he had this rebel vibe to him that made him irresistible to girls. But he was a heartbreaker- cold, aloof, and icy. Nobody could break his wall. That is, until Lyra came along. She was a brunette, just like Leaf, but she had soft blue eyes instead of Leaf's deep green ones. She was innocent, constantly in sundresses, rompers, and white knee high socks. She came from a wealthy family, but she didn't flaunt her riches around. Eventually, she began to fall for Silver, too. Surprisingly, Silver began to fall for her, too. Silver was my childhood friend, and I encouraged him to pursue a relationship with Lyra. When he did, he completely changed. He was kinder, more aware of peoples' feelings, and just generally a better person." he said, and Dawn clung on to each word he spoke. "My point is, the whole good girl / bad boy combination isn't as cliché as you might think. If it's truly meant to be, then it's meant to be. Sometimes, there just needs to be a kind girl that's willing to break down the walls they've spent so long building. It'll find a way to work out, like it worked out for Lyra and Silver."

"Th...thank you, Gary." Dawn stammered, gratitude for the prince overwhelming her. Gary smiled.

"What's there to thank me for? I was only repeating a story." he grinned, taking in great amusement in Dawn's rapidly flushing face.

"...Thank you, anyways. You've helped me more than you might realize. I sincerely hope that you and Leaf work out. You deserve it." Dawn said, her blue eyes bright.

"We shall see, then, will we not?" he said wryly, although his voice was bitter. There was a hesitant knock on the door, and Gary opened it to reveal Davi, his face slightly red.

"I'm sorry, but Princess Fey is awaiting you." he nodded his head towards Dawn, who let herself out. She looked back, and Gary offered a small smile, before quickly looking outside the window.

_Gary, I hope everything goes well with Leaf. You deserve it._

x.x.

There was a crowd in the square as Dawn's carriage pulled into the village square. Clamours and cusses filled the air, and a loud gavel rang out. She caught sight of Ash, who was looking on worriedly, promting a wave of anxiety to run over Dawn.

"I... I'm sorry, Father, I shall await you at the palace. If you will excuse me." Dawn said quickly, before opening the door and barrelling into Ash.

"D..Dawn. Where were you?" he demanded, his brown eyes unusually clouded.

"I was at Shigeru Kingdom. Why?" she responded quickly, her eyes flicking around her surroundings.

"You missed everything- the capture, the trial, the whipping... everything." he said cryptically, and annoyance flared inside of Dawn.

"Will you tell me what's going on?" she shouted, and Ash grimaced, before dropping his gaze to the ground.

"The viziers are just announcing their decision. Go see for yourself." he said quietly. Iciness numbed Dawn's body as she pushed her way through the crowd, her jaw dropped in shock.

Bruises covered his body, blood trickling from gory opened wounds. His wrists were bound up onto a post with rope, a whip by his side. Dawn froze. Did the viziers use the whip...?

The boy opened his eyes, a defiant light in his hazy grey eyes. Suddenly, Dawn felt like her legs had failed her. The deep plum locks and the defiant look in his eyes...

It was Paul Shinji.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **I'd like to apologize for my less than hasty update. As you can see, this chapter was mostly about Dawn's feelings for Paul, while confirming other pairings such as SoulSilver and Oldrival. In case it wasn't obvious enough, Dawn's feelings for Gary are strictly platonic, and vice versa. I wanted to choose a character that was suitable as "royalty" while also being thoughtful enough to offer relationship advice to Dawn. Don't worry, we'll see more of Gary and Leaf soon enough, as well as a cameo from Silver and Lyra. Like this chapter? Review! All reviewers get a quick mention and a virtual cookie! Come on, you know you want some! -waves cookie in air-

-NaruMayoi


	3. II: Lurking in the Darkness

FangandIggyRule; Ah, yeah, I've seen a few other stories with them as royalty, but I've never really imagined Paul as royalty. I'm not sure if this is just me, but Dawn seems to have more of a royal aura than Paul. It's probably just me, though xD

Rin916; Er. Sorry about that. xD I promise it won't be another month before an update, considering it's summer. Alright? :)

Kpoplover11; No, I have no idea who you are. ;P pft, of course I know. And thanks, that means a lot to me (: but it's not as good as your story. ;D ... the one that has 23 chapters. -grumbles-

Splitheart1120; HAHAH, I'm not going to let Paul die this early on ;P

Sapphiet; With the help of a magical purple unicorn ;D

Funkypurplefuschia; Er. Sorry about that.

SilverTip37; My, my, you're becoming a regular reviewer, aren't you? ;) HAHAH, thanks, you don't mean that. :O I'm flattered. xD

Starfire1407; -bows down- Yes, my lord. Here is the update. ;D

AND VIRTUAL COOKIES FOR EVERYONE WHO REVIEWED ~

-hands out cookies-

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><p>All's Fair in Love and War<p>

Chapter Three

Lurking in the Darkness

_I have lived in the darkness all my life_

_Forced into hiding by the higher forces_

_My existance was forgotten_

_Carried away by the blustering winds_

_My time is now_

_I venture out_

_In search of only one thing._

_Vengeance._

"What...what is the meaning of this?" Dawn exclaimed, gesturing towards the platform where Paul was crumpled on his knees, wrists suspended by thick ropes. She looked at the man wielding the whip contemptuously, her blue eyes icy. "Father ruled that minors are not to be whipped. Have you failed to uphold even this simple rule?"

"That is correct, Princess." the man took off his mask, revealing a gaunt and darkly handsome face. Dawn recognized him immediately, feeling faint at the realization. He as Elias Greene, village executioner. Near the left of the platform sat a circle of viziers, the earliest form of jurists. Iciness took over every fibre of her being as she put together the scene before her- surely Paul hadn't done something extreme... had he? Elias spoke again, his voice gravelly and rough. His fingers curled around the leather whip in his hands, each of the nine tails moving tauntingly in the wind. "This whip isn't to be used on adolescents, true, _unless _the youth in question has committed a serious crime. Generally, thieving and poaching from royal land is considered a serious crime."

Dawn felt her mouth dry, her mind whirling in disbelief. Ash looked at her from the crowd with dark, inquisitive eyes. No doubt the boy, like nearly everybody in the crowd, was beginning to question Dawn's reckless and uncharacteristic actions. He did not chastise her actions, but frustratingly did nothing to aid her in her losing battle with Greene. Misty was beside him, nervousness in her features. The orange haired girl offered Dawn a shy smile of encouragement.

"Please, Sire Greene, leave him be. I do not believe theft is dire enough to justify such harsh punishment, though it may be from royal land. Certainly, this is enough of a lesson to prevent something like this in the future from occurring again, wouldn't you agree?" Dawn stammered, desperation in her voice.

Suspicion flickered over Greene's face as the man narrowed his eyes, before dropping the whip to his side and giving Dawn a curt bow.

"As you wish, Princess." he said slowly, gesturing for the viziers to follow him. He gave Paul a contemptuous sneer. "The little snot's gotten his punishment already." He left, as did the crowd in front of the platform. Ash lingered, questions in his hazel eyes, but Misty looked at Dawn worriedly, before dragging the village boy out by the ear. Dawn smiled slightly, but it quickly reversed into a frown when Paul's eyes flickered open.

"Y...you really shouldn't have done that." Paul said through gritted teeth. He adjusted his wrists, wincing as the thick rope rubbed against his raw skin, which Dawn noticed was now an alarming red.

"I couldn't very well stand by and let them lash you to death." Dawn responded tartly. Paul's eyes flashed under his messy purple fringe.

"And what, exactly, Princess, made you think I needed you meddling in my affairs? This is my problem and my problem alone. I was stupid and careless, and this is my mine to deal with." he said coldly. Dawn bit her tongue to stop herself from openly screeching at the boy.

"You were unconscious!" the blunette snapped angrily. "I saved your life back there, and all I get in return is you criticising me for _meddling in your affairs?_ I was only trying to help!"

Paul's face tightened, before he looked at Dawn.

"Okay, I apologise." he said gruffly, slipping out a sheathed pocketknife from his shirt sleeve. Using nimble fingers, he unsheathed the knife to reveal a malicious looking blade. "Cut the ropes, will you?"

It was more of a command than a request, but Dawn didn't respond. She went up to the post where he was bound, and snapped the rope binding his wrists. Angry, raw skin revealed where the rope had chafed his wrists, and as he moved, Dawn saw him grimace slightly.

"But why?" he demanded. "You knew that by intervening, you'd ruin your reputation. No kingdom wants a princess who dotes on villagers."

"I... I don't know. Actually, I think I do know. It was sort of an impulse decision, I suppose. I didn't really think, but I do remember thinking of that time you saved us from that Persian. I wanted to return the favour, I guess. A life for a life." her mouth pursed into a hard line. "Elias Greene's a wicked man. I'm certain he would have whipped you until you could hear the whispers of Heaven's angels. He just does not know the difference between doing his job properly and flat out murder."

"I suppose I do owe you my life than." he grimaced, obviously not used to thanking somebody.

"It was nothing." she smiled, and Paul smirked. She thought back to an earlier comment. "Oh, and Paul? I don't give a Tepig's snot whether or not kingdoms send me any marriage proposals. I've found the person I want to be with, and it's not a prince."

His brow furrowed, the corners of his mouth turning down slightly.

"I do not know what to say, Princess Berlitz." the title startled her; Paul had made sure that his contempt for royalty was clear. His voice adopted a clipped tone that Dawn did not recognize as the faintest trace of jealousy. "Is it that village boy you were with when the Persian attacked?"

"Ash? Dear, no." she laughed. As sweet as the boy was, she could never imagine herself in a relationship with him. "He is in love with Misty. Do you not see the way his eyes light up when he looks as the girl?"

"I apologise, Princess. I do not have a tendency to observe the eyes of other males, you understand." he said sarcastically, and Dawn smiled slightly.

"So then, if it is not that bumbling buffoon, who is the boy that captured Dawn Berlitz's heart?" Paul questioned, a slight hint of amusement and curiosity in his gruff voice. Dawn felt herself observing Paul's face, taking a mental note of his angular jaw and masculine features. She took her time answering, wondering if she should answer truthfully or lie.

"He... he is two years older than me. He is a rebel with roguishly good looks- tanned skin and deep, dark eyes, with unkempt hair that contributes to his attractiveness. He is a bit rough around the edges and intimidating, but I know he has a good heart." she said softly. Something flickered in his dark eyes, but it disappeared as quickly as it came.

"I must be on my way now." he said, beginning to stand up. He winced, supporting himself on the wooden stake he had been tied to.

"You can't walk back like that. Those bruises and cuts will have you bleeding to death on an alley street." Dawn said sternly, pulling his arm.

"I can manage fine." he answered irately, and Dawn let out a laugh of disbelief. Males, she scoffed.

"Listen to me, you bullheaded mule." Dawn snapped. "Those wounds are practically gushing blood. You are going to bleed to death on the streets. Just let me help you."

"You've helped me enough." he said shortly, but Dawn interrupted.

"And I'm not going to let my efforts go to waste!" she hissed, turning him around so she stared at his face. Well, directly, she was staring at his chest. She couldn't help but notice how tight it was against his well built abs...

_Wait, what the hell am I thinking? _She mentally reprimanded herself, and looked Paul straight in the face.

"Listen, Shinji. I didn't lose my reputation with my family and allies just so you can _die on me!_"

Her chest heaved from the effort it took to shout at the teenage boy, her face flushed. To her annoyance, Paul smirked.

"You win, Princess. What next?"

x.x.

"Princess." Genevieve's voice greeted her. There was a smile on her lips, but it didn't reach her eyes. She walked towards Dawn, her movement elegant and graceful. "You are very late. What was of such dire importance that you had to jump out unceremoniously from the royal carriage?"

"I, er, there was a major commotion in the village square. I was only attempting to determine if the situation could potentially turn violent." Dawn stammered, her porcelain cheeks flushed. Genevieve's mouth pursed into a firm line as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Princess, has Reverend Halli taught you anything? Lying is blasphemous." Genevieve said tartly, her eyes fixed on the girl before her. Dawn opened her mouth to defend herself, but Genevieve cut her off. Her green eyes were distant and clouded as she spoke. "Do not lie, Princess Berlitz. I can tell you are lying before you even speak."

"Why do you believe me to be lying, Genevieve? For all you know, I could very well be speaking the truth." Dawn demanded, and Genevieve let out a mirthless bark of a laugh.

"Princess, there was absolutely no chance for there to be an opportunity for the gathering to turn violent. In the slim chance there would be, our guards and military would have stopped it immediately before it could threaten anyone out of the village square. It was only routine procedure- a trial and potentially a punishment. These sorts of gruesome things draw a large crowd, as you may know. More young women came to this one, although I can assume you know the reason?" The servant spoke matter of factly, her speech not unlike that of a teacher speaking to a child.

"As a matter of fact, I do not. Would you care to enlighten me?" Dawn answered stiffly. Genevieve frowned, her perfectly arched eyebrows raised in a silent question.

"The accused was Paul Shinji, an exile from the Apalachan Kingdom. He was exiled after several counts of illegal poaching on royal grounds. My good friend, Celeste, constantly remarked on his good looks. Tanned skin, dark grey eyes, and a heart of ice. Sound familiar yet, Princess Berlitz?" Genevieve went on, ignoring Dawn's clenched fists. "Apparently, he had wandered from the Apalachan Kingdom to the Berlitz Kingdom, wielding nothing but a bow and arrow. Camping out on the outskirts of Etheral Woods, he lived off of only the animals he killed with his arrows. One day, he was careless and caught by a royal guard. Locked up in the village prisons, news of his capture spread like wildfire, and archer Paul grew to be somewhat of a hero. Many attended his trial, hoping that he got off the hook. After all, they argued, he was only trying to survive. You see, Princess, the entire gathering area was patrolled by guards, as you would have known. Only a buffoon would truly believe there was a chance of a riot."

Dawn gritted her teeth as Genevieve looked at her expectantly. She loved and regarded Genevieve like the sister she never had, praising her intelligence and wittiness, but, as she knew all too well, sisters also had an ability to seriously piss you off.

"Perhaps I was telling a white lie in the beginning, but I had no way of seeing who the figure was. I could not have known him to be Paul Shinji. I only noticed that he looked youthful, not much older than myself, and as I knew that minors weren't to be whipped, I had thought that the viziers had given an unfair ruling and that is my reason for my interference." Dawn said, her lower lip jutting out in an act of stubbornness.

"Princess Berlitz, our viziers have been selected as the most moralistic and forgiving people in the village. It was near impossible that they would have given a child an unfair trial." Genevieve reasoned, her voice gentler before. There was understanding in her green eyes, and not knowing the reason for it bothered Dawn. Genevieve was likely her closest friend and her faithfulness to Dawn as her servant had brought her to know the princess on a personal scale better than anyone outside her immediate family. That Genevieve understood something Dawn did not caused frustration to bubble in the princess's core. However, nothing could have prepared her for Genevieve's next words. "You.. you love him, don't you?"

"W..what gives you that impression?" she demanded, but fear and disbelief clawed at her stomach. Genevieve ignored her, observing the girl's blue eyes thoughtfully.

"Your eyes are distant, as if you are thinking about something else- or, perhaps, someone else. Your voice is a mixture of anxiety, admiration, and passion. He was on your mind during the visit to Prince Shigeru, resulting in the reckless behavior your father was reprimanding you about. You knew of his profession, and you feared the worse when you arrived, prompting your impulsive behaviour. I see it now... you truly are in love."

Dawn swallowed as the realization of her words hit her. It terrified her because she knew that she was falling for him, but Genevieve's words had only brought her to admit it to herself. She didn't deny nor confirm her friend's statement, only staring blankly.

"Hah." Genevieve laughed mirthlessly, her laugh almost darkly sinister. "Love's a fickle thing. It draws affection from people forbidden from being together, their love only hurting them both in the end. Apparently, Love was not satisfied with hurting me... me and Thomas. Love had to go after you, too."

Dawn froze, Genevieve's words stabbing her like an icy dagger. The comparison between herself and Paul and Genevieve and her fiancé terrified her. Genevieve looked apologetic as her ghostly pale face stared at Dawn.

"No, I'm sorry." Genevieve said softly, Dawn's heart breaking at the haunted look in her green eyes. Only the mention of her fiance would induce such a reaction from Genevieve. "What happened to me and Stefan will not happen to you."

"I'm so sorry, Genevieve. I should not be tormenting you like this." Dawn said softly, taking her friend into her arms comfortingly. Genevieve returned her embrace, then pulled away to look at her lifelong friend with those absolutely broken eyes of hers.

"I won' tell a soul, Princess." the eighteen-year-old seemed older than her age as she stared at the floor, heartbreak in her voice. "I... I know what it feels like to be denied the love of your life. You deserve better."

Dawn wanted to cry at the sheer pain in her eyes, feeling so utterly helpless. No words seemed adequate enough to comfort her friend, and she stood there like a fool, mouth open. The servant lifted up the hems of her white gown, retreating to her room. Dawn was stunned, still staring at the door her closest friend had walked through. She bit her lip, wishing she could help her friend.

"I'm so sorry, Genevieve. It was best to have left this memory unearthed..." she whispered to nobody in particular, standing up. She left, too, after whispering more apologies that went unheard.

x.x.

She had tangled, greasy blue tresses and clouded sapphire eyes. Her skin was free of blemishes, but covered in grime and oil. Her body was not as voluptuous as it once was, her body and limbs replacing their sexy curviness for thin, bony limbs. Once upon a time, this woman could have been considered beautiful. With clear, milky skin, high cheekbones, seductively plump lips and an hourglass figure, it was impossible to find a similarly aged man who did not admit to being hopelessly in love with her. But behind her beautiful body and seductively whispered words laid a heart blacked and withered from the grip of evil.

The girl stared at Dawn, hate flaring in her hollowed blue eyes. Her dirt encrusted fingernails dug into her skin as her hands curled into fists. She watched her younger, doted-on little sister live the life _she _was supposed to live. She had been forgotten, her name erased from existence, her memory carried away by the same winds that caressed Dawn's and tousled her silky blue hair.

She hated it. She did not take well to being forgotten.

What was so great about that pathetic girl, anyway? She wasn't beautiful, flashing her sickeningly endearing smile to all she met. The kingdom was more fucked up than she realized, if they had embraced that bitch for a princess. The girl stayed hidden in the shadows, watching the exchange between Dawn and her pathetically lovesick friend.

What kind of a princess had a petty servant for a friend? The girl scoffed derisively, rolling her eyes. Had she been princess, she would have lopped off the heads of any villager who had attempted to speak with her. Princesses did not associate with such filth. That was not the way.

Her thin, white lips upturned into a smile as the figure listened more closely. It was scandalous, that's what it was. The perfect, beautiful Princess Berlitz- in love with a villager? An exile, at that? She would be disowned faster than she could blink. Poor, useless Dawn, baring her heart and soul out to a mentally deranged individual, in the open? It was as if she was wanting to be overheard. The elder girl straightened her back, feeling more powerful than ever. With just her few words, she had enough power to destroy her little sister. And she had every intention to. After all, that is what she had done to her. And she had to return the favour, didn't she?

The girl walked into the hallway, in full view of the guards. She didn't care that she'd probably be yelled at and locked in her chamber. All she had to do was tip off one of the guards, and she'd be free. Free at last, no longer having to lurk in the shadows like a filthy rat. Her assumption was right- the guards started barking at each other, and one pudgy guard ran up behind her, restraining her. She didn't resist, a darkly sinister smile gracing her features.

She did something she hadn't done in what seemed like an eternity.

She laughed.

* * *

><p>Anyone guess who the creeper stalker figure is? ;D And I'm sorry for the overuse of pronouns, I kinda wanted to keep the identity a secret.<p>

Genevieve and fiance Stefan will be more important later on in the story, don't worry. It's not a bunch of filler stuff. ;P

Anyway, I hope you liked it. It was fun writing it, hopefully I'll update later this month. (:

As always, reviewers get a cookie! So review! -holds out box of cookies-

-NaruMayoi


	4. III: The Hawk's Cry

Hey guys! NaruMayoi here!

In light of Ikarishipping Day 2.0, AKA the release date of DP186, the elusive confession episode! You cannot be an Ikarishipper if you didn't watch it [:

ANYWAY, here's the next chappie for All's Fair.

I'd also like to clear up some things with updating. I don't have multiple chapters written out in advance, so I can't update regularly. It's probably one of my bad habits, so. xD If you want me to update more regularly, you might have to wait it out for maybe a month... so, if you'd like more regular updates, please tell me in your reviews! -hopeful-

disclaimer; as always, I don't own Pokemon. If I did, I'd probably lose a legion of fans because it'd be a soppy soap opera thing :] So, it's probably best I don't own Pokemon~

* * *

><p>All's Fair in Love and War<p>

Chapter Three

The Hawk's Cry

-x-

_Watch the words that come out of _

_that pretty little mouth of yours_

_All pretty and pink with designer label gloss_

_Don't you know that secrets are meant to be told?_

_Yours are no exception..._

-x-

Genevieve sighed, picking up an aged, yellowed piece of parchment from her cherry wood nightstand. Her fingers traced the signature, following the dark lines of the ink.

Stefan Legar.

The love of her life.

She could still remember everything about him. His perfect white teeth and charming smile, and those blue eyes you could lose yourself in. She remembered his mop of golden hair, tousled carelessly by the wind. Genevieve could still feel his touch, his fingers running up her arms. She could still even feel the remnants of his last kiss, his gentle lips kissing her almost desperately. It was like he had wanted to be sure she was still there, breathing. It was a perfect fairytale- _her_ perfect fairytale.

Until everything came crashing down on her.

-x-

Dawn Berlitz wasn't going to lie- she loved going down to the village. She loved looking through all the quirky little shops and conversing with the villagers. She loved watching her friends fall in love, and she loved giggling whenever they acted romantic. But not this time.

She ignored everyone who tried to greet her, indifferent to their hurt and betrayed expressions. She had a horrible feeling in the pit of her stomach. Dread.

Dawn silently cursed at the world, a lingering feeling in the back of her head that she knew what this meeting was about.

"Now, is that any way for a princess to speak?"

Shit. It was him.

"Did I say that out loud?" she mumbled sheepishly, refusing to meet the teenager's onyx eyes.

"No, I only just read your mind." Paul said sarcastically. The princess ignored the childish temptation to stick her tongue out at him. She blushed under his intense gaze, ducking her head.

"Hmpf. How do you know what princesses are supposed to act like?" she responded stubbornly, her lower lip jutting out in a pout.

"Common sense." he said simply. Dawn felt herself growing annoyed, but not at him. She hated how she kept blushing whenever she realized he was looking at her.

_Arceus, I really am a fool... _

"I have to go now." she mumbled, walking way quickly. Her glass heels clicked on the cobblestone road as she made her way down a winding path leading away from the village, lit by only the shafts of light that managed to stream through the thick treetops. A sudden chill went over her as her eyes lingered on the dark, imposing stone tower not far in the distance- the dungeons. Dawn turned left at a small fork, arriving at a cluster of flat rocks.

"Where are you?" she called out bitterly, surprised at the spite in her voice.

"Over here, darling." her voice was chillingly sweet, but loathe dripped from every word.

She was still as gaunt and bony as she was before, but there was a look of proud satisfaction lighting up her angular face.

"Taenna." Dawn said curtly, feeling a shiver go down her spine as her elder sister moved closer. She resisted the urge to scream as Taeanna leaned her face in towards her. She had rancid breath, and her pores were clogged with dirt and grime.

"Disgusting, isn't it?" Taeanna remarked, looking at her nails. Her blue eyes flashed momentarily. "To be in the presence of someone so... hideous."

Dawn wasn't imagining it this time- she saw her sister's eyes flash blood red.

"I was beautiful like you, once upon a time. I seeked the truth, and I seeked justice. That is why I aided who I aided. That was why I was banished, my existence forgotten like I was never alive." Taeanna's voice dropped to a menacing whisper. "I was punished for my sense of good... can you see why I am upset... sister?"

"What is this sense of good you keep referring to? Last I checked, Taeanna Berlitz was imprisoned for aiding an army of troublemakers who desired only to ruin the lives of others." Dawn said coolly. She looked, repulsed, at her sister. "You may be my biological sister, but to me, you are dead."

Taeanna's eyes narrowed into slits, and one of her hands gripped Dawn's wrist. The princess widened her eyes, trying to free herself from her sister's grasp. Taeanna's lips curled into a dark smile.

"Ah, that is what I was hoping to talk to you about. You see, nobody wants to hear about my little sob story. I only wish to resolve... a long standing dispute." her tone was icy. She flipped her blue hair over her shoulders, scrutinizing her sister momentarily. "Ah, I can see why they like you. Innocent and pure, with beautiful blue eyes and silky tresses... you must be what many consider an ideal princess. It's a shame, really... how you had to go running after a filthy villager."

Dawn's eyes widened, iciness gripping her. So it was true. She did know.

"Ah... I see you understand what I'm talking about... _sister._" Taeanna's voice was cold and mocking, a gleam of sadistic amusement in her blue eyes. Dawn's fingers curled into fists.

"...you're mistaken. I have no idea what you're talking about. You're delirious, Taeanna." Dawn snapped, cold fury in her voice. Taeanna laughed.

"Delirious, perhaps. But I know what I heard. Our perfect little Dawn Berlitz... in love with a villager." she laughed. "What will dear Mummy and Daddy say to that?"

Dawn understood everything- why her sister was acting so pleased with herself, why she had arranged to meet with Dawn...

Taeanna was blackmailing her.

-x-

Dawn cursed at herself. How stupid was she? Revealing all her silly little secrets to Genevieve in a hallway- someone was bound to overhear her. Of all people, her estranged, demented sister had to overhear...

She lay on her back, running her ivory fingers over her satin bed sheets. There was a slight knock in her door. Drew Hayden, one of her attendants, nodded.

"A letter to you, Princess." he said, handing her a folded piece of parchment. Dawn took it, smiling graciously.

"Thank you. You better be going, May is likely wanting you back." she winked, and the chartreuse haired boy widened his emerald green eyes.

"Y...I don't know what you're talking about." Drew mumbled, and Dawn grinned.

"I don't know, May had a _pretty _big love bite yesterday..." the princess remarked casually, smiling as the chartreuse haired attendant flushed again.

"Ah.. I have to go now, Princess." he muttered, hiding a pink blush. Dawn laughed, waving a goodbye to the attendant. Frowning, she opened the letter.

_Princess Berlitz,_

_Hey, it's Gary. You know that girl I told you about, Leaf? We're running away. I don't know where or how yet, but we are. There's just too much to handle, and my father's getting suspicious. I guess I just wasn't cut out to be a royal. Anyway, I just wanted to let you know the truth, because more likely than not, there'll be some twisted gossip spreading about me soon. See you around. Maybe. _

_ Gary Shigeru_

"Is he trying to get himself killed?" Dawn muttered, but she applauded him mentally. She wished she had the courage to do something like that. The blunette sat on the bed, thinking. There was a sharp tap on her window, and she saw a Murkrow hovering about, a scroll in its claws.

She cursed, knowing instantly who the sender would be. Unrolling it, she grimaced.

_So it isn't just you fooling around with commoners, is it?_

_ "_How did she know?" Dawn seethed, throwing the scroll on the ground and promptly setting it alite using her Typhlosion's Ember. The Murkrow cawed, and the princess sighed, tossing a scrap bread piece through the window. The dark crow Pokemon dived after it, and the blunette shut her window.

There was another sharp rap on the window, and Dawn frowned. It was an Altaria, a Pokemon generally only royals carried. Opening her window again, the blue Pokemon soared in, doing an impressive acrobatic flip in the air before dropping a scroll into her hands. It perched on the windowsill, cooing at Dawn.

_Behind Ketchum's Bakery. Brought Leaf. Wanted to say goodbye._

It was in Gary's messy scrawl, and Dawn sighed, throwing on a light, sheer shawl before heading out again.

~.~

"What in the name of Arceus are you doing here, Gary?" Dawn said hurriedly, seeing the ally prince in front of him. The auburn haired boy frowned, beckoning another person over.

"Wanted to say some things, and for you to meet Leaf." he shrugged, wrapping an arm around the girl's slender waist.

She had light brown hair that cascaded down her shoulders. Her skin was tanned from days in the sun, and her forest green eyes sparkled, a faint blush tinging her cheeks. She was undoubtly a commoner, but she did look amazing. She was wearing a headband woven from wildflowers, and Dawn marveled at the intricacy of the weaves. She was in a light green sundress, and on her feet were slippers stolen from a royal castle.

"Hi, I'm Dawn." the blunette said, smiling warmly at the brunette girl. The girl smiled back, revealing white teeth.

"I'm Leaf." she grinned. Dawn looked questioningly at the auburn haired boy, who only shrugged.

"Are you seriously going to do this?" she asked, and Gary rolled his eyes.

"Why not? I'm sick of that place. I'm sick of my parents telling me to to marry and who I'm supposed to love. I hate that place, Princess, and I'm leaving, whether they want me to or not." he said, and Dawn nodded.

"I only wish I was as brave as you guys." she admitted, sitting down on a rock. Leaf frowned, and Gary smiled wryly.

"Brave? More like a death wish." Gary scoffed, and Leaf slapped him.

"You're optimistic." she said sarcastically. Dawn smiled at the two of them, genuinely happy for them. There was something in their gazes that seemed so genuine and sincere- a look of adoration, infatuation... love. Dawn sighed. Would she ever be able to have something like them? So true and pure? She highly doubted it.

"A little Pidgey told me that Reynaldo's pretty infatuated with you." Gary said slowly, pursing his lips. Dawn made a small choking noise in the middle of her throat.

"_Reynaldo?_" she choked out, her blue eyes wide. The former prince shrugged, his expression nonchalant.

"Seemed pretty whipped, that guy. I'd say he's pretty damn smitten with you." Dawn groaned, her posture now slumped and defeated. Leaf said nothing, confusion etched in her face.

"He's a perverted creep." she snarled, pulling out a handful of grass and crushing it in her fist. "Every sentence that came out of that mouth of his had a dirty innuendo in it."

"I know. Family friend. He seemed pretty... ah, enthusiastic about your future... 'interactions'." Gary raised his eyebrows, and Dawn's jaw dropped.

"I'm gonna kill that freak." she vowed sincerely, and Gary looked torn between amusement and seriousness.

"More than likely, you'll have to marry that guy."

That did it.

"Say what?" Dawn repeated in horror.

"You'll probably have to marry Reynaldo. His parents are probably one of the most influential, not to mention wealthiest, monarchs in the region. It's practically every king's dream to have their daughter marry someone in the Cadavera line." Gary answered bluntly, and Dawn balled her hands into fists.

"Well aren't I lucky. I get to be sexually harassed while my parents reap the benefits. Whoop dee doo." she groaned, and Leaf gave her a sympathetic smile.

"Hey, you know what, things change. Who knows, things may turn out better than you expected." Leaf said, and Dawn couldn't help but smile. There was just an aura around Leaf that made you want to smile.

"I guess you're right. But I still feel disgusted." the blunette grumbled, and Gary smiled slyly.

"Well, obviously, you have someone else in mind. A certain purple haired someone." Gary grinned, and I slapped him.

"You talk too much." I grumbled, turning to Leaf. "You sure you can survive with him?"

"I'm not too sure myself." Leaf joked, and Gary pretended to look hurt. He put a hand over his heart dramatically, putting his hand to his forehead.

"Ah! My heart! It aches!" he sighed, and Leaf laughed, slapping him good-naturedly.

"Dramatic." she giggled, and Dawn raised a brow slyly.

"Aw, look at you guys!" she gushed, grinning as they flushed slightly.

"And I thought you were cool." Leaf mumbled. Dawn laughed.

"Who said I wasn't?" the blunette answered, grinning at Leaf's scowl. "Hey, you're the one that's running off with him! I'd say you're in love."

"Pffffft..." she mumbled, her face red again. She scowled at Dawn, who was grinning again.

"Don't have_ too_ much fun." she smiled, winking suggestively. The brunette flushed again, and Gary rolled his eyes.

"You're evil, you know that?" he grumbled, and Dawn grinned.

"I've been told that once or twice..."

-x-

"Send this to her." the prince, who looked to be no older than twenty, commanded. His attendant frowned.

"Are you certain, Prince Cadavera? You still have many requests, I am sure-"

"Listen to me, you fool." he snarled. "I don't want any of them. I want her."

The attendant gulped, his bottle green eyes wide with fear. The prince had grasped the collar of his shirt, menace in her eyes.

"Y..yes, Your Majesty." he stammered, and the prince let go of him. The attendant rubbed his throat, taking a deep breath. "I will go alert the scribe."

"It is of utmost urgency, Davis." the young Cadavera said icily, and Davis understood the threat behind his words. "Make sure the scribe understands that."

"Y..yes, of course, Your Majesty." the attendant stuttered, running off to find the scribe.

Reynaldo Cadavera reclined against his plush armchair, glancing at his ceiling. A devious smirk played on his lips.

_Dawn._

The prince couldn't get her off his mind.

Mind you, it wasn't love. It was only a lust induced by teenage hormones, a relationship doomed to end poorly. Reynaldo Cadavera didn't give a shit about love. In his opinion, it was something that only happened in fairytales. He only cared about physical beauty, and what a woman could give _him. _

He wanted Dawn. A lot.

And he'd do anything to get her.

~.~

"Prince Cadavera, we've received the response from Princess Berlitz. Altaria is waiting at your windowsill." Davis said, and the prince smirked. Good. He'd been waiting.

He made his way to his luxurious chamber, turning to see the blue, winged Pokemon perched regally on the window sill. Altaria dropped a scroll into his hands, cooing as he did. Lazily, Reynaldo flicked a handful of seeds out the window. Altaria squawked in reprimand, before diving down to catch the seeds in his beak. He sprawled on his deep purple couch, unrolling the scroll.

_In your dreams._

His smirk faded, replaced instead by anger.

He was Reynaldo Cadavera. No girl resisted his charms. The man gritted his teeth- all the princesses in Sinnoh lusted for him, why was Dawn any different?

Reynaldo threw the scroll aside, anger demonizing his features.

He wanted Dawn. And he always got what he wanted.

-x-

Dawn sighed. It had been almost two weeks since she had met up with Gary and Leaf, and it was like each day dragged out longer than it had to.

She lay flat on her bed, suddenly aware of the sound of hoofbeats pounding on the stone paths. It was like an... army...

The blunette snapped up, rushing out the main gates despite her unruly appearance. A military escort greeted her as she pushed open the wooden doors, and Dawn suddenly felt self conscious. She was in a simple white day dress that hugged her curves before it reached her waist, where it flared out. With glass slippers and barely tamed hair, she looked unfit to be a princess.

_Shit. _

She swore as she saw who was leading the mass of mounted soldiers, a smug smirk plastered on his face.

"What do you want, Reynaldo?" she asked tersely, and Reynaldo stiffened at her obvious disgust.

"Ah, but my dear Princess, I have come to ask for your hand in marriage." he answered smoothly, giving her a look that could make most women melt.

"No." Dawn answered bluntly, and there were a few sniggers coming from his soldiers, who Reynaldo silenced instantly with a glare.

"But why not? Most would be delighted at the idea of spending eternity with me..." he whispered in her ear, and Dawn resisted the urge to kick him right in the -

"Yeah, well, I shudder." she answered nonchalantly, and Reynaldo looked positively furious.

"You're coming with me whether you like it or not!" he snapped, grabbing her wrist.

"Prince Cadavera!" Genevieve snapped, pulling me away. Her green eyes shot daggers at the black haired man, who faltered under her lethal glare. "What, exactly, are you doing?"

"Asking for your lovely princess's hand in marriage, of course." he said lightly, turning on his charms.

"I don't believe shouting at Princess Berlitz and jerking her around is asking for a hand in marriage." Genevieve responded tartly, and Reynaldo scowled.

"Is that any of your business, you stupid maid?" he growled under his breath, and both Genevieve and Dawn looked absolutely furious.

"Don't you ever call her stupid again, or you won't live to regret it, you arrogant to-"

"Princess, it's fine." Genevieve assured, and Dawn's fingers twitched, wanting to punch that cocky toad right in the face. The pinkette glared at Reynaldo, her hands on her hips.

"Prince Cadavera, I can easily have King Berlitz issue you a command for you to leave the Berlitz Kingdom immediately. This is a disruption of peace." Genevieve threatened icily. By now, a large crowd had gathered, both from the village and from the Royal Palace. Dawn moaned. More people to witness her embarassing fate. Great.

"I doubt that, sweetie." Reynaldo smirked. "I am Reynaldo Cadavera."

"And I am Genevieve Bernières." Genevieve answered tartly. "Now that we've exchanged our usual pleasantries-"

Chuckles rose from the palace staff, and Genevieve looked mildly pleased with herself.

"Prince Cadavera, please, your father would not be happy to learn you have been slandering and engaging in uncivilised behavior with a potential ally." a man rode forward, to look at the young prince.

"Commander Legar, please, this is not your affair to meddle in." Cadavera snapped, and the blond man scowled.

"Very well, Prince Cadavera. Do not say I did not warn you." he shrugged.

Legar.

Where had Dawn heard that name before...?

Genevieve had paled, her fists clenched until her knuckles had turned white. Her eyes were widened in disbelief and shock. Half formed words stuck in her throat, and she couldn't speak.

"Legar...Stefan!" Dawn whispered, realization hitting her.

The blond man turned from the prince almost contemptuously, glancing at the staff of Berlitz Palace briefly. His gaze lingered on the pinkette beside Dawn, shock evident in his blue eyes.

"Genevieve..." the blunette began, but the pinkette was shaking, not of shock, but of pure anger.

"You." she said coldly, the emotion in that one word sending a chill down Dawn's spine. "So you show up, now. Three years later?"

"I.." Stefan began, but he trailed off at the pinkette's glare.

"YOU LET ME THINK YOU WERE DEAD!" Genevieve spat out. "Do you have ANY idea how much it hurt me?"

The man was stunned speechless, and Reynaldo blinked in confusion. Dawn said nothing, too worried about Genevieve to think about anything else.

"Genevieve, please, just listen to me..." Stefan pleaded, but Genevieve dropped her gaze.

"I must leave, Princess. I will send the King down to discuss matters with Prince Cadavera." she said quietly.

In the distance, the sound of a Staraptor's cry filled the air.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **And there we have it. Man, this is looking like some medieval soap opera. xD So, we have Oldrival, the return of Stefan, and a creeper prince who wants to molest Dawn. How fun! :D

Anyway, Fanfiction's being an ass because it won't give me line breaks, so, for reference, this: -x- is a more significant line break, and this: ~x~ is like a less significant line break. If that makes sense.

As always, review, and don't forget to leave me your opinion on how you think I should update. :] As well, there's a little bit of symbolism in this chappie, it's not very subtle, so it should be easy to figure out xD

Butterbeer, as requested by Silvertip37, to all reviewers, and extra Butterbeer to those who guess the symbolism right.

Muggles can have their Muggle cupcakes :]

-NaruMayoi


	5. IV: The Beginning of the End

A shorter chapter, I'm sorry /shot\

Ugh, I'm not satisfied with this chapter. I just don't like it for some reason, which is why this was sitting in Doc Manager for like forever. =.= I need a beta... /shot\

hehe, well, anyway, the newest chapter for All's Fair. Please tell me if there are any grammatical errors or anything, because I don't use a beta. I never was the best person when it came to grammar...

Oh well. The newest chapter for All's Fair!

disclaimer; I don't own Pokemon. Which is probably a good thing.

* * *

><p>All's Fair in Love and War<p>

-x-

The Beginning of the End

-x-

_There are the wars_

_Fought with guns and artillery_

_Then there are the wars_

_Fought completely with the mind_

-x-

"What is the matter he- Oh! Prince Cadavera!" the king snapped, before his eyes practically popped out of his eye sockets as his gaze fell on the dark haired prince.

"Ah, good day, King Berlitz. I was only speaking to your beautiful daughter regarding a potential marriage arrangement?" Reynaldo said smoothly, the king's jaw dropping.

"A...er... that is... we must speak, Prince Cadavera. I'm sure Princess Berlitz will be absolutely _delighted!_ After all, with such a chivalrous-" King Berlitz babbled, and Dawn resisted the urge to facepalm herself.

_Auuugh. Dads._

The king was oblivious to the tension in the air, and Dawn nervously looked at the doorway where Genevieve had stormed through. Her gaze lingered on the blond man, who was still staring, shocked, at where his fiancée had once been.

Dawn breathed heavily. Why did such a painful memory have to be stirred again?

The blunette had convinced herself that the scars Stefan had left were healed, but it was like someone had to take a knife to the healed scar and open the wound again.

King Berlitz had taken Reynaldo to inside the palace to discuss the marriage arrangement, a thought that made Dawn want to gag. She turned her attention to the large number of Rapidash and soldiers that were awkwardly waiting for Reynaldo to return. She rolled her eyes. Some considerate prince he was.

"You can take your Rapidash to the royal stables for rest, if you wish. The stablehands should be on hand to feed and care for your Rapidash. You must be exhausted." she said sympathetically, directing to the pristine white stables. Stefan gave a small nod of acceptance, and the soldiers, one by one, rode their Rapidash to the stables. The blunette coughed. "Sir Legar. A word."

The blond sucked in his breath, but there was a meek look of defeat etched in his face.

"Yes, Princess?" Stefan questioned, biting his lip nervously. Dawn's blue eyes flashed in annoyance.

"You know what this is about." she hissed, and Stefan fidgeted, looking uncomfortable. "You hurt Genevieve a lot, Stefan. Are you going to rectify your mistakes?"

"I did it with her best interest in mind. My father was getting suspicious, and had he found out, he would've sentenced her to death." he said quietly, and Dawn glared at him with a steely gaze that would've made Paul proud. "She forgot about me. That was what I was trying to do. I transferred to another kingdom's military to escape from my father's badgering. I just never thought we'd meet again."

"You thought she _forgot about you?_" Dawn repeated in disbelief, and Stefan nodded meekly. "Do you honestly think she'd just forget about someone she _loved_? Because really, Legar, if you thought that, you're more of an imbecile than I thought you were."  
>"I was young and stupid, okay?" Stefan snapped. "I didn't start that rumour that I was dead. That was the work of some stupid kids that wanted to stir up trouble."<p>

"Maybe you didn't start it, but you did nothing to prove the rumour was a fake! Genevieve thought you were dead for three years! _She loved you, for Arceus's sake_! How would you feel if that was you?" Dawn snapped, getting angry on her friend's behalf.

Stefan stared at the ground, ashamed, regret and sorrow in his blue eyes.

"I should talk to her..." he mumbled, and Dawn scoffed, rolling her blue eyes.

_Arceus, Paul's rubbing off on me..._

_ "_You think?" she said sarcastically, and Stefan mumbled something incoherent under his breath.

The blond man dismounted his Rapidash, giving its reins to another soldier to take to the stables. He walked up the steps to the main entrance, leaving the blunette by herself.

The blunette stood there for a few minutes, leaning against the smooth bark of the white birch trees on the edge of the palace. Starlies chirped a distance away, before abruptly being silenced by the intimidating caw of a Staraptor.

She heard raucous laughter from inside the castle. Dawn cringed, fearing the worse. Indeed, Reynaldo returned from the castle, and the king was by his side, a large grin on his face. Reynaldo wore a smirk of victory, and Dawn growled, cursing him under his breath.

"I told you you were mine, darling." he whispered, and Dawn flinched.

Did... he... just...?

Her eyes darted from Reynaldo, who was smirking smugly, and her father, who had a giddy grin on his face.

Dear Arceus...

~.~

"Dawn Berlitz is engaged to Reynaldo!"

"Our little Princess is growing up and getting married!"

"I'm so happy for her!"

When King Berlitz gave the news of Dawn's engagement to the ally prince, the village was ecstatic. The blunette groaned inwardly, sitting with a straight back in her seat as her father gave a tearful speech. Her eyes widened as she noticed Taeanna, who had since gained weight and blended in with the malnourished villagers. There was a devious smile playing on her thin, pale lips, and she looked at Dawn with a malicious glint in her blue eyes. Dawn glared at her fiercely, but Taeanna returned her glare without hesitancy. There was something in her eyes that told Dawn that she could spill her little secret any time. Taeanna smirked, making a heart shape with her bony hands. Her heart split by her thumbs, symbolising a broken heart. Dawn sucked in her breath- she knew exactly what Taeanna was implying.

A guard pushed through the crowd roughly, before grabbing Taeanna by the arm. He growled a threat to her, pulling her away from the crowd, shoving her into the cart like a common pig. Taeanna didn't flinch as the guard shoved a dagger in her face, shrugging in the face of his harsh reprimands. She smiled sweetly at Dawn, who suddenly felt like gagging.

She sat there as her father rambled on again and again, smiling in the right places to pretend she actually paid attention to her father's words, when in all honesty, her mind was in a thousand different places.

Genevieve, sensing her friend's disturbance, gave her a reassuring smile. Dawn returned it gratefully, but her heart twinged as she realized how sad her friend's smile was, the sorrow in her eyes almost haunting.

The crowd started clapping, and gradually, the villagers dispersed, going back to their daily routine. Genevieve walked over to her, pulling her to the side. Her father passed her, and gave her a beaming smile. Dawn smiled back, inwardly noting how difficult it was to force a smile on her face. When everyone was gone, Genevieve spoke.

"The guards told me that Shinji's been caught poaching again, but they let him off with a warning. I'd think he should be given another warning, no? The guards are so busy right now, and well, frankly, the rest of the castle is too, what with preparing your wedding arrangements..." she said, trailing off, giving Dawn a hard stare. Realization hit her. Genevieve was giving her an opening to talk to Paul. Her voice dropped. "Explain things to him."

Dawn stared at the pinkette in shock, comprehending her words.

Genevieve gave her a small, sad smile, before leaving.

-x-

Paul was working, viciously stabbing the ground with a shovel. He had his shirt off, but bandages were wrapped around his torso and some portion of his arms. Dawn winced, remembering his whipping. Some bandages were off, revealing light pink lash marks that had faded from its once vicious red.

He looked up, his dark eyes unreadable.

"Um... hi?" Dawn mumbled, and Paul raised an eyebrow. The blunette mentally smacked herself.

_Hi? That's the best you can think of? Arceus..._

"What do you want?" he asked gruffly, staring at Dawn coldly.

"Tch. You're polite." Dawn grumbled sarcastically, and Paul scoffed.

"Who said I needed to be polite?" he shot back, and Dawn rolled her eyes.

"I'm the princess?" she reminded him, and Paul scoffed.

"Big deal. What are you going to do about me being rude? Lop my head off?" he asked almost mockingly, and Dawn puffed out a cheek in indignance. He smirked, which only served to irritate Dawn further.

"Auuuugh." she groaned, throwing her head back in annoyance. "You have a stick up your behind or something?"

"Very nice, Princess. Very suitable for a member of the royal family." he remarked, raising his eyebrows coolly as Dawn twitched again.

"You're impossible." she groaned, before tapping her fingers on her arm, trying to remember. "Ah!"

"Ah what?" the mauve-haired teenager asked, bored, as he stabbed the ground again with the tool. Dawn sweatdropped.

"The ground never did anything to you." Dawn said weakly, rolling her eyes as Paul shot a cold glare in her direction. She scowled. "I came to warn you not to poach again.

"Alright then, I can just have my family starve to death. No big deal." Paul rolled his eyes, a scowl on his face. Dawn furrowed her brows- didn't her family ensure each villager at least got the basic necessities? Paul, seemingly sensing her thoughts, only rolled his eyes again. "I'm only doing what I need to survive, _Princess._"

He emphasized her title slowly and with an air of contempt.

Dawn scowled.

"I saved your sorry butt back there at the whipping post, and all I get back is angry retorts?" Dawn snapped, and Paul rolled his eyes.

"A life for a life." he retorted, crossing his arms. "Your debt's paid back. So there. Do you expect me to be grovelling at your feet and being a snivelling suck-up?"

"No!" Dawn growled. "But it wouldn't hurt for you to not be such a prune!"

"A prune?" Paul repeated, a smirk tugging on his lips. "That's new."

Dawn flushed.

"Hmpf." she pouted. Paul raised an eyebrow.

"Childish." he remarked, and Dawn stuck her tongue out at him, only further proving his point.

"Ugh, you're a prune." she groaned, and Paul looked slightly amused.

"I've been told that." he said sarcastically. Dawn glowered at him.

"Auugh, how can people stand you? Sarcastic little..." she declared, and Paul rolled his eyes, not bothering to answer her anymore. The lavender haired teenager kept shovelling the earth, wincing as he strained one of the many lash marks on his torso. "Hey, answer m- AH, are you okay?"

"I won't be if you keep shouting in my ear." he answered tartly, stretching his arm. "I'm fine, Troublesome. Now go away."

"Troublesome?" Dawn repeated with a strill edge to it, causing Paul to wince again. "What kind of a name is _Troublesome?"_

"You're troublesome. Therefore, your name's Troublesome. No more explanation's needed." he shrugged, backing off as the blunette adopted a slightly murderous air to her.

"AUUUUGH, YOU... SHINJI!" Dawn screeched, and Paul looked nonchalant.

"Yes, Princess, that's me." he said lightly, causing Dawn to twitch.

"Argh, I'm going to leave. Staying here's only going to piss me off even more." she muttered, looking back at him. "Remember what I said. Unless you want to be whipped half to death again..."

Paul looked coldly at her.

"Listen, okay? If I don't hunt, my family's going to _starve _to death. My brother's taking care of my mother, who freaking has dementia." he snapped. "So do you get it now?"

"Y..your mother has d..dementia?" she stammered, and Paul glared coldly at her.

"Fuck, Berlitz, it's not contagious." he snapped, and Dawn frowned slightly, not wanting to annoy the teenager further.

"I know that." she said shortly, glaring at him. He returned her icy stare easily. "I..I'm sorry."

Paul's arms dropped to his side- he hadn't been expecting that reaction. His scowl faded briefly, before it returned.

"Why? It's not your fault." he said icily, crossing his arms over his chest and leaving his shovel on the ground.

"It must be hard." Dawn said slowly, choosing her words carefully. "I mean... I obviously don't know what it feels like, personally... but it must be difficult."

She paused momentarily.

"I guess my point is that... understand that I'm not meaning for you to stop hunting altogether. I get it, it's what you do to survive. Just... be more careful." she frowned. She didn't even get why she was saying this to him, when his obvious reaction would be to ignore her words with a sneer. Genevieve's words hit her again, and she was reminded of her implied confession. Oh. Right. "It wouldn't be too nice to see you back on the whipping post."

Paul stared at her, unsure of what to make of her words. To her surprise, a small smirk played on his lips.

"I'll keep that in mind."

There was no spite or his usual mocking tone in his voice.

Dawn smiled.

Paul raised his eyebrows, going back to his shoveling. Dawn turned, finding herself face to face with Reynaldo. A smug smirk was on his face.

"Come on, _darling_." Dawn cringed at the pet name, and Paul's face was unreadable as he bent over to pick something from off the ground. His fringe covered his dark eyes.

"What?" she said waspishly, and Reynaldo's smirk, if possible, grew bigger.

"Finalizing the wedding proposal." he answered, snaking an arm around her waist. Dawn growled.

"Get off me." the blunette snapped, walking away from the man. She glanced briefly at Paul again. "Don't forget what I said."

"Tch." he growled. "I got it."

Reynaldo narrowed his eyes, pursing his lips into a thin line.

"Princess Berlitz, I advise you to hurry up, the King is not a patient man." he said, a trace of a growl in his smooth voice. Dawn scowled.

"I know my father well enough." she retorted, walking in front of Reynaldo. She walked at a pace that the man couldn't catch up to. She looked back, annoyance in her features. "Well? Hurry up."

As Reynaldo jogged up to her, she released her Rapidash, jumping on the animal's back and galloping to the main castle. As Reynaldo called her name, she only scowled back at him, not giving him another second glance.

Neither of them were aware of Paul's gaze lingering on them.

-x-

"Genevieve?" Stefan asked quietly, the pinkette looking at him coldly. He sighed. "I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry?" she repeated, staring at the blond man in the face. "You cheated on me, faked your death, and after you prance into my life years later, all you can say is _I'm sorry_?"

"... um, yeah..." he mumbled sheepishly, running a hand through his ragged hair. He sucked in his breath. "Listen, I know it's probably too much to ask you to take me back-"

"Tch, you think?" she scoffed disdainfully.

"-but at least hear me out. I didn't cheat on you." he said firmly. "It was my father's doing."

"Your father's doing? You seemed to be enjoying yourself when that princess was kissing you." she growled, and Stefan sighed again.

"I had to get my father off my back. He was already suspicious of us, so when he arranged for a meeting with the princess, I had to play along with it. I guess it was my father who assigned you to clean the room we were supposed to be meeting in after," he said slowly, frowning. "Please, Genevieve, believe me."

Genevieve stared at him, before resuming her cleaning.

"I'll accept your explanation," she said finally, her voice low. Her eyes pierced Stefan's own blue ones. "But why in the name of Arceus did you _fake your death?_"

"Ah... that..." he muttered. Genevieve rolled her eyes.

"Like I said, my father was suspicious. He got better after that incident, but he was having me followed. That's why I couldn't meet with you after that. He had a guard behind my heels all the time. I knew how much it was hurting you, so that's why I faked my death. I thought that I could join another kingdom's army under a fake name, and eventually, you'd forget me and live your life like you were supposed to..."

"Why couldn't you tell me, at least? How did you think I'd _forget _you? I loved you, okay? Arceus, did you think I would just forget you?" Genevieve snapped, whipping around to face him. She looked darkly at him, before her fingers traced her bottle necklace that hung off her neck. The top popped open, and she turned it upside down, a ring falling into her hands. The pinkette said nothing, only holding it up for Stefan to see. Her fingers traced the gemstone, her voice nothing more than a whisper. "I'm just supposed to forget...?"

Stefan stared at his ex-fiancee, regret in his blue eyes.

"I'm sorry..." he said, his voice low.

"You said that already." Genevieve scoffed, ignoring him. Stefan curled his fingers around her wrist, his calloused skin sending shivers down Genevieve's spine. The pinkette looked at the man before her, so different from the confident, strong man she had once known.

"I'm sorry..." Stefan repeated, looking into Genevieve's eyes, his breath hot on her ear.

"I..."

-x-

"Ah, wonderful, wonderful!" the king laughed, scribbling his name onto the piece of parchment gleefully. "Such a wonderful occasion... my wonderful daughter... starting a new chapter of her life!"  
>Reynaldo laughed heartily, the dark haired man smiling smugly at the blunette seated in front of him.<p>

"It truly is an occasion to celebrate, isn't it?" Reynaldo chuckled, taking the piece of parchment in his hands. With a swift flick of the wrist, he signed his signature on the document. He dabbed the quill again, smirking as he passed it to the blunette.

She stared at the parchment for a long time, her eyes lingering on the jet black signatures of her father and Reynaldo.

She thought about leaving her friends, family, and the kingdom. She thought about what her life would be like, sitting on the throne of the Cadavera kingdom, being nothing more than a sex slave to the man she would be married to. Dawn pictured her signature joining her father's and Reynaldo's, the signature that would sign away her freedom for the rest of her living days.

Who'd take over the kingdom when she was gone? Her parents were past their prime in terms of having children, and Dawn couldn't help but wonder how'd the throne be passed on when she was married off.

"Go on." her father urged, passing the quill to his daughter's hand. Reynaldo's eyes gleamed with dark amusement, his eyes travelling down Dawn's body.

Dawn shifted in her seat, uncomfortable with the ally prince's stare. She crossed her arms over her chest, deeply regretting the decision to wear that specific dress, an ivory coloured gown that had a tight fitting bodice and a shape that highly accentuated her curves.

The quill felt like an iron weight in her hands. The feather on it pricked her skin like thorns.

Her hand was shaking as she picked up the piece of parchment.

_I'm sorry, Ash, and Misty. I'll miss your bickering that could always make me smile._

Her quill tip touched the piece of parchment.

_I'm sorry, Drew and May. I'll miss seeing the chemistry between you two, even if you do keep denying it._

Swiftly, her hand moved to write the elegant, cursive D that her name began with.

_I'm sorry, Genevieve. You were the best friend I could ever ask for._

She curved the end of the n that marked the end of her first name.

_And Paul. Tch. Annoying twat. But he did save my life... who am I kidding... I'll miss him and his stupid, dry, sarcastic sense of humor. _

Dawn breathed heavily, her eyes scanning the beautiful, elegant cursive in front of her.

_ Dawn Berlitz._

It was like she could feel all her dreams, hopes, and aspirations crumbling into dust, into nothing more than useless, broken memories. Dawn stared at her name blankly, registering what she had just done.

She'd signed away her entire future to a man who loved her only for her body.

"Wonderful! Wonderful! Truly a day to celebrate!" the king laughed merrily, clapping as he picked up the piece of parchment.

But Dawn didn't bother listening. She stood up, refusing to meet Reynaldo's eyes. Her glass kitten heels clicked on the hallway as she opened the door to her chamber.

Sitting down on her bed, she buried her face in her hands.

_Arceus... what have I just done?_

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Behold, the newest chapter for everyone's favourite medieval soap opera! I don't think there was too much Ikari fluff in this, but don't fret, lovely readers! There will be... eventually.

AKSKSJGLFS I really don't like this chapter D: Hopefully the next one will be better =.=

I'm sorry that this isn't so much medieval as... princessy. Oi.

Anyway, review please ~ -waves box of noms- You know you want it !

-NaruMayoi


	6. V: A New Mask

**Disclaimer; **Bahaha, you think I own Pokemon? GFJDL, BAHAHA- wait, you're serious?

Well, I don't. A cool dude named Satoshi Tajiri has that honour. And last I checked I wasn't a guy so |:

* * *

><p>All's Fair in Love and War<p>

-x-

_New Identity_

-x-

_If I took off this mask_

_Would you even recognize me?_

-x-

The castle at Berlitz Manor had a lot of secret corridors.

Dawn knew this especially well. They were implemented into the castle's designs as a safety measure, but as the time went on, nobody in the family had actually bothered to remember all of them. As a child, she and Genevieve liked to play in them, so the blunette knew the tunnels like the back of her hand.

She figured they would come in handy.

All in due time.

-x-

She sighed, looking out of the window in her room.

Was she happy?

It was a question she'd never taken the time to properly answer.

She'd assumed, that, with the luxuries of being a princess, she'd be happy. But had she forgotten what happy truly meant?

Happy meant laughing with Genevieve over some inside joke between the two of them. Happy meant being around her friends and being able to talk about them without all the pressure and expectations.

Was she happy?

She doubted it.

It was difficult to find Genevieve at all now, let alone talk to her. The pinkette usually locked herself in her room, only coming out to complete her duties or eat silently at the table with the rest of the helpers. Drew was usually in the dungeons with Ash, guarding Taeanna. _Or making out with May, _Dawn thought, smirking slightly. Misty was usually by the lakeside, giving performances and with the hope that a wealthy passerby would toss a coin her way. Paul... she didn't know where he was.

She was alone. She would sit by her window chaise, looking out at the villagers working outside and wishing she was one of them. Dawn wanted a simple life; maybe find love. That was all she wanted.

The blunette eyed her wardrobe with contempt.

She didn't want money. She didn't want fame. She didn't want pretty silk dresses and dainty glass heels. She just wanted to be happy. To be herself.

Was that really too much to ask?

-x-

She took a walk around the village. It was past midnight, and her bodyguards would have thrown a fit had they known her whereabouts. Dawn just wanted some escape from the past few days. They were hectic- plans for the wedding. She had long known about Reynaldo's fame, but she had no idea that even the royal families in Unova would have heard about their engagement.

The air was cold, sending shivers down her spine. It felt good, though. It made her think about something else, if only for a few brief seconds.

The village was quiet, most of the people having gone to sleep already. A few people stayed up late, hauling goods or frantically doing the last of their work before the next day.

"Princess, what are you doing still up?" Dawn turned around to see Drew, still clad in his guard's uniform. The chartreuse haired teenager looked tired, barely suppressing a yawn.

"I could ask the same for you, now could I not?" Dawn smiled, and Drew cracked a smirk, eyebrows raised.

"But won't your guards disapprove of you being out so late? By yourself, no less?" Drew questioned. Dawn waved a hand dismissively.

"The guards are always disapproving of everything. It's quite a strange occurrence when they are not. I think they shall have to do without me for a few minutes. They are always by my heels, and it's tiresome." Dawn explained. Drew nodded. "May I ask the same for you?"

"Your sister's being a priss. She won't stop looking out the bars of her window, and keeps demanding that we send an urgent letter to you." Drew said, running a hand through his hair. "She almost stabbed Sir Riley in the gut, I'm afraid. She's a lunatic."  
>"Ah." Dawn frowned, her insides twisting up at Drew's words. Taeanna. Had she been wanting to send more letters? She shivered at the thought of what the contents could have been. Yet another vague, threatening letter, most likely.<p>

"I believe she has used up her letter sending privileges for the moon. She has sent a letter to the Shinji house, I believe." Drew said, shaking his head. "She's a madman. Or a woman. I'm not sure which one."

Dawn laughed, before furrowing her eyebrows.

"How many letters is she allowed to send per moon?" Dawn inquired. Drew shrugged.

"One, I think." he answered.

One?

Then how did that letter get delivered? If a letter was sent to the Shinji house...

What was it about..?

She thought back to her confession, three sunrises ago.

Dawn's insides froze.

_Arceus. No._

_-_x-

"Just what do you think you're playing at?" Dawn spat, pacing around the small, barren stone prison.

"I'm sorry, it's quite rude of me not to offer a welcome." Taeanna smiled, her thin lips curving up. "I welcome you to my humble... home, I will say. I'm afraid it's not very cozy. There's a lack of furniture, as you can see. My landlords are quite unaccommodating."

"Shut your mouth. I didn't come to hear your biting sarcasm." Dawn cut her off, her blue orbs glaring daggers at her sibling.

"Now, that's not very polite, now is it? How would your etiquette tutor respond if she heard that?" Taeanna inquired innocently. Dawn breathed out heavily, taking a few strides and grabbing Taeanna's collar.

"Stop with your games, Taeanna. They aren't working." she hissed through clenched teeth. Taeanna dropped on the ground, her dull, sunken in blue eyes looking back up at Dawn.

"Oh? But it's quite delightful to play!" Taeanna smiled, her eyes piercing Dawn's. "The prize? It's the glimmer of fear in your eyes, sister. Oh, you are afraid. That much is clear.

"I have enough to destroy you, Dawn Berlitz. You have destroyed me. Now, our fairest Revenge will come knocking at your door."

Her facade fell, a scowl gracing her lips. There was pure loath in her gaze.

"Y-you evil little..." Dawn stammered.

"Uh-uh!" Taeanna cut her off, waving a finger in front of her like Dawn was a particularly bothersome young child. "Hush. Don't forget, _Princess. _I can ruin you."

"What's stopping me from locking you inside solitary confinement?" Dawn demanded, hands on her hips. Taeanna laughed, clutching at her ribs as the mirthless laughter escaped from her lips.

"Ah, Dawn." she said, wiping a tear from her eye. "You won't be getting away from me that easily."

Taeanna walked forward, a sudden chill freezing the air.

Dawn backed up, terrified as she felt the icy surface of the stone wall pressing against the small of her back. Her fingers traced the outline of an open window.

Dawn counted four storeys.

Taeanna smiled sweetly.

"You aren't as naïve as I thought. _Sister."_

Dawn barely had time to register Taeanna's push before she felt the swooping sensation of falling.

Darkness.

-x-

"Princess!" she heard a voice, and a gentle shaking. The blunette blinked open her eyes, painfully aware of the stiffness in her body. Each movement sent courses of pain running through her body, and she shakily forced herself to lean against a tree. Her left arm was jutting out to the side awkwardly, her left leg numb. She gritted her teeth, but the tears still came.

"Princess! Try not to move too much, you've hurt yourself quite badly."

She turned, looking at the purple haired young adult that was approaching her. His deep purple locks were tied in a messy ponytail, and there was a look of concern in his warm onyx eyes. When she looked at her, it seemed like he seemed familiar. Just slightly familiar...

"W-where am I?" Dawn questioned, the bright red, gold, and russet foliage unfamiliar to her.

"You're just outside the east towers, Princess." the man answered, blinking. "I do wonder why you were here, but I suppose it is not my business to meddle."

"N-no, it's alright..." Dawn mumbled, running a hand through her midnight blue locks. So Taeanna _did _push her out of the tower. Some sister she had.

"Do you need medical aid? I can call for a medic." the man said, before shaking his head. "I'm sorry, I'm being quite rude. I'm Reggie."

"It's alright. You probably know my name by now." Dawn laughed, before stopping as she felt a dull pain in her ribs.

"Princess Dawn, is it not? Pleased to meet you." Reggie smiled, before frowning once more. "I believe you may have fractures in quite a few places.. if you wish, I can ask Chansey to use Heal Bell."

"That would be great, thank you." Dawn laughed gratefully, trying to ignore the sharp pain in her side.

The pink nurse Pokemon emerged from its Pokeball, peering curiously at the blunette.

"Chan! Chanseey!" Chansey chirped, clapping its rounded arms together playfully. She furrowed her eyebrows as she gingerly touched Dawn's arm, raising her own arms up.

"Chaaaaan!" Chansey hummed, waving her arms in a metronome like motion.

Dawn felt the pain in her body slowly ebb away. The blunette moved her limbs slowly, before standing up and leaning against a tree for support.

"Thanks. I feel a lot better." the blunette teenager smiled, before groaning again. "Kind of. Well, my bones aren't broken anymore..."

"I can take you to the palace, if you wish." Reggie offered.

Dawn waved her hands in front of her face frantically.

"U-um, it's quite alright... quite truthfully I wasn't even supposed to be out. If I returned in this state they'd surely give me a telling-off." Dawn mumbled sheepishly. Reggie laughed.

"Well, if you wish, you could always stay at a friend's house. My house is always open as well, if you ever need it. Oh dear, that sounded kind of creepy."

Dawn laughed despite herself. If it was any other person, she would have been somewhat disturbed, but she knew that all the people in the village had good hearts, and Reggie just seemed to have that comfortable, trustworthy feel to him.

"Sure, that would be great."

-x-

"You have a lovely home, Reggie." Dawn complimented, looking around the cozy home. It had brick walls and a wood fireplace, with a few plush straw seats littering around the room. Various scrolls with ink drawings and lettering on them were hung on the walls. A blazing fire just added to the lovely homey feel, something that the vast palace never seemed to have.

"Thank you, Princess. I'll fix you up a herbal tea for the soreness." Reggie said warmly, hurrying into the kitchen to prepare a cup of steaming tea.

Dawn's eyes drifted towards an ink drawing of a girl, likely no older than fourteen. Her hair was braided into pigtails, and a grin on her face. There was also a drawing of an older boy next to her, with shaggy locks and a small smirk on his face.

"That girl looks beautiful..." Dawn mused.

"She was our youngest sister. Her name was Luna." Reggie smiled fondly, his eyes glazing over as he looked at the scroll.

"Luna. It means the moon, does it not?" Dawn smiled, tilting her head. "It's a beautiful name."

"It's a shame what happened..." Reggie sighed, shaking his head. Dawn frowned.

"Whatever happened to her?" she questioned.

"Arsenic poisoning. She was only fifteen, too." Reggie explained, setting down the cup of tea as he took a seat on one of the straw couches. "It came as a shock to everyone. She was happy, carefree, without a worry in the world. The next day, we found her slumped in her bed... dead. Even our former village's most skilled private eye couldn't find the suspect behind it."

"That's.. horrible..." Dawn breathed, clasping a hand over her mouth. "I'm so sorry for your loss..."

"She was such a likeable child. Everyone she met became her friend. She had no enemies." Reggie said fondly, before his gaze darkened. "Or so we thought."

"I-"

"Reggie, I think that's enough."

-x-

"What are _you _doing here?" Paul questioned coldly, staring at the shocked blunette.

"Paul! That's no way to greet a member of the royal family!" Reggie hissed, but Paul paid no mind to his older brother.

"W-what are you doing here, may I ask?" Dawn spluttered breathlessly. Paul scoffed, jabbing a thumb in Reggie's direction.

"He's my brother, smart one." Paul sneered.

Dawn blinked, digesting this new information.

No wonder Reggie's eyes seemed so strikingly familiar...

Two sides of the same coin, Genevieve would have mused.

"O-oh." Dawn mumbled, looking down. "I-I'll leave, if my presence is unwanted..."

"No, Princess, it's quite alright. There's no urgent need. Paul's just being a prune." Reggie coaxed, ignoring the pointed glare his younger sibling was shooting him.

"Reggie, why were you telling her about Luna?" Paul demanded, pointing to the scroll Dawn had been admiring.

"She wished to know. Is there something wrong with that?" Reggie replied calmly, raising an eyebrow at Paul's somewhat irrational behavior.

"You'll get us in trouble one day if you go around blabbing everything to everyone who asks." Paul snapped. Reggie's gaze hardened.

"She is a member of the royal family. I highly doubt that is just 'anyone'." the older male retorted sharply.

Meanwhile, Dawn was standing there awkwardly. Reggie shook his head, nodding his head as a sign of respect and a curt apology.

"Sorry, Paul just has some emotional confli-"

"Reggie, _no._"

Dawn smirked slightly at the banter between the two brothers, taking deep amusement in it, albeit at the expense of Paul's dignity.

Tch. She didn't care... that much.

She wished that she could have that kind of a relationship between her siblings.

Then again, one was deranged and the other deceased.

"...hn. Fine. Just... don't talk about Luna."

He left as quickly as he came, but the sudden wince as he whipped around didn't go unnoticed.

"Reggie... if I am not prying, why is Paul so sensitive towards... his sister?" the idea of Paul having a sister just seemed foreign to the blunette.

Reggie sighed, glancing fleetingly at the scroll with the beautiful portrait of Luna.

"Believe it or not, Princess Berlitz... Paul used to be quite the normal child."

Paul and normalcy. Dawn almost laughed out loud, but for the sake of being respectful, she only nodded, furrowing her fine brows.

"Paul and Luna... they were almost a perfect sibling pair. They were joined at the hip. One was always with the other. Never only one." Reggie said in a low voice, a small, nostalgic smile making its way onto his face. "It... broke his heart when Luna died. He started to shut himself away. Luna was really the only one who could bring out his true self. I haven't been able to find someone that could do that to him since..."

Dawn lowered her head, finding herself sympathizing with Paul.

Sometimes, when she was slumbering, she could still remember the vaguest memories of Taeanna smiling and laughing, playing with her.

They came less often, now.

"That's... quite horrible." Dawn murmured. Reggie smiled wryly, shrugging his broad shoulders. He let out a deep breath.

"I suppose. It was quite a heartbreaking time for us. But life goes on. Even through the harshest winters, the flowers shall bloom again." the purple haired man smiled, before shaking his head. "Oh, look at me, getting so nostalgic. I'm sincerely sorry for my poor manners. How are you feeling?"

Dawn blinked in confusion momentarily, before looking briefly back at her limbs, soreness still pricking at her occasionally. For the most part, Chansey's Heal Bell had all but healed her.

"Ah, don't, it's quite alright. You were very welcoming, I'm sorry for any rifts I may have caused between you and Paul." Dawn nodded politely, curtseying.

The blunette took a deep breath, memories of the last few days rushing at her like a stampede of Tauros.

"I...If it would be quite alright... may I stay here for a few more days?"

-x-

Reggie was surprised, so say the very least. It wasn't very often, after all, when a princess requested to stay in your home. After a few stammers, he managed a somewhat audible response.

"I-I do not know what would prompt a request such as yours, but, m-my Princess, you are welcome to stay as long as you wish..." the violet haired man blinked, before hurriedly bowing again.

"Reggie, don't be so stiff. It's quite alright. I doubt that anyone would overhear, as well." Dawn laughed lightly. Her expression darkened over. "I-I just have some personal problems I must sort out before I return to the palace."

"I have no objections to that, Princess Berlitz. It would be an honour. I'm afraid it isn't much, but I hope you find it accommodating." Reggie smiled, bowing once more.

"Reggie, there truly is no need to be so formal." Dawn coaxed. Reggie looked mildly uncomfortable, but nodded nonetheless.

"I do wonder, are you not to be wed in a few fortnights? I believe that the Royal Family would wish for you to be present at the wedding arrangements, would they not?"

Dawn sighed, breathing out deeply.

"I..it is precisely that matter I must sort out before I return."

-x-

"She's going to _what?_"

"I believe you heard me quite well, brother. The Princess will be staying with us for a few nights. I hope you will be on your best behaviour, especially after that last... incident." Reggie pursed his lips wryly.

"Of all places, why here?" Paul snapped, glaring icily at Dawn, who was standing to the side awkwardly, watching the two brothers argue.

"Because, Reggie has been the most kind person I have met here." Dawn responded coolly, unwavering under Paul's intense glare.

"Why not that green haired friend of yours? That carrot top? That brown haired girl I've seen you hang around? Or Arceus forbid, even that dense idiot? Why _here?_" Paul growled, his onyx gaze boring into Dawn's.

"B-because.. I have some personal affairs I must sort out, free from any influence the Royal Family may have. Those locations would be far too obvious. My friendship with them are not exactly unknown." Dawn explained, smiling sheepishly.

Paul stared at her once more, his (well toned, Dawn noted, blushing furiously) chest rising up as he took another breath.

"... you're the most Arceus damned troublesome girl I have _ever _met in my life." Paul seethed, looking away from Dawn.

"Paul, please, do be polite." Reggie hissed under his breath.

"No, it's quite alright, his reaction is understandable." Dawn reassured, before turning back to Paul. "I'm sorry for being such a bother."

"..hn."

"So, Paul, I was hoping Princess Berlitz could use one of Luna's old frocks... I believe she'll fit well in them. Perhaps the hem will be a little short, but I daresay she cannot leave like that." Reggie said hesitantly.

Dawn held her breath, wondering how Paul would take to the idea of her wearing one of his deceased sister's dresses.

"... hn. Whatever. It's not like my opinion counts for shit." Paul growled. He gave another glance in Dawn's direction. "She can't go out like that. It's completely obvious. Cut her hair. Give her a fake name or something."

Cut... her hair?

Defensively, she ran her fingers through her silky blue tresses, the tresses she had been so fond and proud of- her trademark hair.

"I'm sure we won't need to take such drastic measures." Reggie said slowly.

"Tch. Her hair's recognizable, even with Luna's dress on." Paul raised an eyebrow. Dawn hated to admit it, but he was right. Any of the people working in the palace would recognize her just from her hair.

"... I suppose cutting my hair would not be too bad." Dawn choked out.

Paul gave her another look.

Was it just her imagination, or did his gaze soften momentarily?

She felt her heart skip a beat.

_Ba dum. Ba dum. _

-x-

She was no longer Dawn Berlitz, Princess of the Berlitz Kingdom.

She no longer sported a beautiful, eggshell blue silk gown and dainty white slippers. Her beautiful blue tresses no longer reached her mid back, free of tangles and as silky as silk itself.

She now wore a mustard yellow sun dress, a halter top that reached just above mid thigh, made of a rough, coarse fabric. Lace was sewn onto the edges of the skirt, the sleeves, and the collar, tickling her milky white skin. On her feet were espadrille flats of an off white colour with sheepskin lining. Her hair was cut until they only tickled her shoulders, with choppy layers giving her an edgy vibe that were such a constrast from her usual feminine style.

She was no longer Dawn Berlitz, Princess of the Berlitz Kingdom.

She was now Hikari Saisei, villager.

-x-

_I am no longer that beautiful china doll._

_I am one of you._

_I was once viewed so highly._

_If you take away the material items_

_The silk gowns, the glass heels and pearl necklaces_

_Just who am I?_

-x-

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **I am so _so _sorry for getting this up so late! It's just that I've been having a major story block for this and Vulnerable, but oneshots somehow came beautifully. PFT, well, aren't my writing blocks nice? Anyway, with that and a massive amount of homework, I just haven't had the time to sit down and type this up. I'm not too sure how this chapter is quality-wise, but with revision and all, it's the best I could do in these circumstances. AGH, I'm just making excuses. OTL, don't kill me D:

Anyway, I've been having my doubts about this fic. It's poorly researched and I'm not too sure how accurate this would be to actual royal families... I'm not too sure if I should continue it even though it is without a doubt my most popular fic. I don't know... answer in your reviews? /shameless attempt to get more reviews |:

Anyway, hope you enjoy this! Read and review, please!

-xXNaruMayoiXx


	7. VI: Live Life

**disclaimer; **I don't own Pokemon.

* * *

><p>All's Fair in Love and War<p>

-x-

_Live Life_

-x-

_I wake to see the sun_

_smiling at me_

_I smile back at him_

_and say a hello to him_

"_Hello Sun, sir,_

_Bless us with your warmth this day,"_

-x-

"Hello, good sir!" Dawn greeted an elderly man, a war veteran she recognized as Sir Enthos Pauper, who was a commander in the Great Civil War of Sinnoh. Sir Pauper had relocated to the village after his wife, Lady Marie, had passed away from illness a few months prior. His children had all grown up, and he desired a quiet life.

"Ah, good morning, child. May Arceus bless you." he smiled crookedly, gesturing towards the sky.

"And you too, sir." the blunette grinned, cherishing the feeling of being able to openly converse with the villagers.

She felt a slight breeze blow, tickling her bare shoulders. Dawn couldn't recall ever feeling so constrained by tight corsets and stiff dresses, but _free._

"Hello, dear!" a plump, rosy cheeked woman, who she recalled to be the wife of the town blacksmith, Lady Emily Farnsworth. She was known in the village for her lovely pastries, and many had remarked she could have easily taken over as the town baker.

"Good day, madam!" Dawn smiled kindly, bowing her head.

"My, such remarkable manners!" she exclaimed, smiling broadly. "It is a lovely day, isn't it? Shame, it is... truly a shame!"

"May I ask as to why?" the blunette questioned, stiffening. She had a feeling she knew what Lady Farnsworth was talking about.

"Why, child, how are you so oblivious? The disappearance of our Lady Berlitz, of course!" she cried, as if Dawn had committed a sin. "Her parents are worried sick, I pity them so. And her lovely little fiance, Reynaldo Cadavera! Why, he is going absolutely insane with worry! Such a kind, handsome young man..."

Dawn flinched, which did not go undetected by the woman.

"What's wrong, dear?"

"Nothing... I was just thinking... has the Royal Family found any leads as to the whereabouts of our lady Berlitz?" the words rolled off her tongue easily, surprising herself at how flawlessly she had lied.

"I'm afraid not, dear." the woman shook her head. "They've checked her friend's houses, and all of the woods. They have sent out a few mounted men to scout in the nearby area. Sir Cadavera is worried sick. Why, Judith just told me this morning he had locked himself in his chambers, a map in hand and muttering about 'I will find her, I must...!'"

-x-

"He... he's looking for me." she cried, burying her face into her arms. She was absolutely mortified- she did not ever want to be caught by _him, _of all people.

"...and why do I care?" Paul responded coldly, barely looking up from the piece of wood he had been whittling into a flute.

"Because he's a rude pervert! All he wants to do is use me for sex!" she cried, tears in her eyes. Paul looked up, the mauve haired teenager staring into her blue eyes with his own deep, intriguing smoky grey ones.

"... then why are you marrying him?" he questioned, putting the flute aside.

"Because! My father wishes to unite our two kingdoms! And what better way than to marry off his only daughter? Believe me, if I had a say in it, this marriage would not be happening." she huffed angrily, crossing her arms.

"Well, life is not fair, Princess. I'm stuck doing something illegal to feed me and my brother, and I'm risking my life with each step into the forest." he answered, rolling his eyes before sitting closer to her.

"He's disgusting. I know I will be treated poorly- a sex toy, likely. A pretty face who can do chores- that's all I am to him. What happened to romance? Courting? Marrying for _love?" _she murmured, furiously trying to hold back hot, burning tears.

"The concept of love is an idea for women with too much time and soft hearts." Paul said almost contemptuously. "The idea of love is stupid. It's a game- a game of survival, and something as petty as love is stupid."

"D-do you really think that?" the blunette gasped, smoothing out the wrinkles in her fabric dress.

"It's true." he said in a low voice, looking away. Almost subconsciously, his gaze flickered to the portrait of Luna. Dawn's expression softened, her heart reaching out to the obviously broken and sheltered boy before her.

"You... you know it's not true." she said sympathetically. "Luna... you loved her. I know you did."

Paul's gaze turned angry, a flame flickering in his grey eyes.

"Luna's gone. She's gone. _Dead._" he spat, looking away from Dawn. "Living in the past... is only going to hurt you."

"I... Luna isn't gone, Paul." Dawn said softly. "She's with Arceus. She would not have wanted you to live a life with so much pent up anger. She would have wanted you to be happy."

"..." Paul was silent.

"You know love is real..." she said in a low tone. Her eyes met his.

Sparks flew.

-x-

Dawn fell into a routine quickly.

Although she had never been assigned any chores, she felt she should do something in return for the Shinji family's kindness, despite Reggie's complaints.

She was to wake at sunrise, and feed the chickens. She was then to gather water from the well, and go out to buy any supplies they might have needed. Reggie was often out, doing scribe work for the ministers. He returned late, often when Dawn had already fallen asleep. Dawn would then have the rest of the day free, which she used to get to know the villagers more. She quickly developed a bond with a young child, Violetta.

Sometimes, she would converse with Paul.

He was an interesting person. His personality had been shaped by the emotions pent up inside him. He was angry at the world- for prematurely taking his sister, for separating his parents from him, from having to live in such harsh conditions. He was quite humorous, as well, in his own dark and sarcastic way.

She liked talking to him. She really did.

She felt that sometimes, maybe he felt at ease with her.

Sometimes, she felt that perhaps, just perhaps, their relationship could be called a friendship.

-x-

"Hey. Need any help?" Stefan inquired, strolling towards the pinkette, who became suddenly engrossed in her work.

"I'm fine." Genevieve dismissed him curtly, sloshing her mop into the bucket of dirty water and staring at the man.

"Come on, you can't be done. Let me help." he insisted, the handsome blond man refusing to take no for an answer.

"No, it's quite alright. It'd be below a military man to help a maid, wouldn't it? I wouldn't want you to lose your job." she said with a trace of bitterness, giving him a forced smile.

"Come on, Gen. Don't be stiff." he smiled, strolling up to her casually and slinking an arm around her waist.

"Stop it." she grumbled, but a blush found its way onto her cheeks.

"Don't be like that." Stefan grinned mischievously, as he leaned down to press his lips onto hers.

She widened her eyes, startled at the sudden display of affection, but didn't pull back.

She relished the feeling of his soft, sweet lips on hers- she'd almost forgotten what they felt like.

After so many years.

Genevieve let Stefan pry open her mouth, the corner of her lips upturning at how he tasted like cinnamon and smelled like fresh mint.

She let her arms rest on his shoulders, her eyes closed in satisfaction.

The pinkette felt butterflies in her stomach, her lips tingling after Stefan had pulled back for air.

"Haha, miss me yet, Princess?" he laughed breathlessly, slinging an arm around her shoulders.

"Go away, I hate you." she shot back, a warm, affectionate smile on her face.

They broke apart after they had both heard the sounds of dull, heavy footsteps.

"Genevieve, I expect this floor spotless by the time I return. Commander, follow me." King Berlitz ordered, with what appeared to be a sour smile on his face.

"Very well, your majesty." Stefan bowed, a charming twinkle in his light, baby blue eyes. He turned back to Genevieve, smiling cheekily. "And nice meeting you, miss."

Genevieve smiled, taking a deep breath.

"Yes, you too..." she mumbled under her breath, cursing at how Stefan had such an effect on her.

She watched him leave, a small, smile on his face.

The pinkette sighed, looking wistfully at the ground.

She thought she hated him. She thought she was over him.

It was funny how he could undo her defenses so quickly.

Who was she kidding?

She was as in love with him as she was three years ago.

-x-

"Where _is _she?" Reynaldo snarled, throwing away a scroll and standing up abruptly.

A man, presumably a commander, bowed.

"I apologize profusely, your Majesty. I have led the troops through enemy grounds and beyond, in the hopes of recovering your beloved sweetheart. I am sorry to say that Princess Berlitz has not been found." the man had a look of fear in his eyes, as he had known just how wicked the prince could be.

"How dare you? I was to be wed to her immediately. I wished to... mark her as my own. And now, because of your utter _incompetence, _I cannot! You are a fool, commander! Search the lands again! I want every inch of ground inspected and every villager interrogated. You are not to return without her." Reynaldo growled, slamming his fist onto the oak table. A crystal figurine shattered, causing pieces of glass to scatter onto the floor.

"Er... your Majesty, you must und-"

"COMMANDER, DO YOU WISH TO LOSE YOUR JOB?" Reynaldo bellowed, fingering at the pocket knife that was concealed in his left breast pocket.

The commander gulped, bowing hastily before dismissing himself, stuttering, and slipping through the door frame.

"Mark her as your own, huh, Prince?" the other man in the room laughed shortly.

"Yes, Francois." Reynaldo smiled wickedly, lowering his head to scratch something into the parchment with the quill in his hands.

"A little eager, no?" Francois grinned, nudging the prince lightheartedly. The young man's curly blond locks framed his face, his eyes a stunning shade of emerald.

Francois had been Reynaldo's best friend since childhood, as Francois was the son of the head mistress of the Cadavera household. They'd been friends since they were in diapers, and it was Francois, as a royal medic, who knew of Reynaldo's condition.

"Of course, Franc. Have you _seen _her? She's a seductress, that one." Reynaldo smiled, running his finger across the blade of the pocket knife he always held in his pocket.

"Yes, very much so, Ray." the blond haired man smirked. "But _damn, _have you seen that maid? Her pink princess curls and eyes, damn. Makes anyone turn happy in the crotch."

"Arceus damn it, Franc, control your hormones." the dark haired man curled his lip in disgust. "I've never once met a man so greedy for sex. Some days I wonder why I still call you my friend."

"I have no idea, Ray. Maybe it's because you're almost as bad as me." Francois shrugged, a smile twisting his lips. "Like I said, you seemed to be pretty eager to get married. I'd say, maybe the Reynaldo Estate will have a new spirit. The maids will all have reported hearing moans and creaks from behind your bedroom door, no?"

"Don't exaggerate." Reynaldo rolled his eyes, twisting the pocketknife around in his hands. "Genes as fine as mine must be passed on immediately, don't you agree?"

"Perhaps." Francois agreed, before warily eying the pocketknife Reynaldo was toying with. "Ray, is that safe idea?"

"Safe, my arse. I thrive on danger." Reynaldo scoffed. He cursed loudly as the knife sliced his finger, scarlet blots dripping out of the cut. "Damn it, Franc! See what you did?"

"Ray, calm the fuck down!" Francois demanded, knowing that this was one of Reynaldo's 'fits'. He had manic depression disorder. It was important not to set him off.

Reynaldo glared lividly at his friend, his finger bleeding all the while.

-x-

"Hi, Vi! Are you being good today?" Dawn cooed, crouching down to the young girl's height and ruffling her hair.

Violetta was a seven-year-old girl, the daughter of Serena Biln. Although Serena had never mentioned it, Dawn had a niggling suspicion that someone in her immediate family had.. 'violated' her. Violetta was a beautiful girl, but Dawn had to admit that she wasn't quite right. She was very clumsy, and took a while to get the hang of things. She was only just starting to speak.

But Dawn found something in the girl that most people wouldn't even have glanced at twice. She was always so genuine and true to herself, and she was a sweet child. She always tried her best, and was a perfect little angel in Dawn's eyes.

"Yeth! Mommy thaid she was gu'ng t'bay me candy becuth I wath good!" she chirped, the little girl's blue eyes alight with joy. Dawn's heart melted- children were just so innocent. She yearned for a child to call her own, but she quickly shook the thought off. She was only a teenager.

_But still. Sixteen is the ideal marrying age for a princess. A child usually comes soon after. A son._

Dawn shook her head. She wasn't a princess anymore. She turned her gaze towards the young girl, who was beaming at Dawn.

"Hikai, wha candy you like?" Violetta questioned, giggling.

"Hm, well, Vi, I like Unc'go Ash's sugar peaches, don't you?" Dawn asked, laughing. She did have an indulgence for Ash's sugared peaches- there wasn't much to be found in the ways of candy in the village. The peaches did wonders to her waistline, though, so they were only an occasional treat.

"Mhm! Bu' I wike Mama ca..carm...carmal! Cewy!" Vi grinned, tackling Dawn into a hug.

"Violetta, are you being good with Hikari?" Serena called from inside the one roomed home.

"Yeth, Ma!" Violetta said, loudly. "Ain't dat wite, Mith Hikari?"

"Yes, Serena, Violetta's being perfect right now." she confirmed. The frazzled looking young mother emerged from the door, smiling gratefully.

"Thanks _so _much, Hikari." the cocoa-skinned woman sighed, taking the hand of her daughter. "It's been difficult, trying to make enough money for her and take care of the little beastie at the same time. You're a gift, Hikari. Thank you, so much."

"It's been no problem, Madame Biln." Hikari bowed her head respectfully. "I absolutely adore Violetta. I feel like it should be thanking you, it's been a blessing to be able to spend so much time with a little angel like her."

"She is great, is she not?" the young mother smiled fondly at Violetta, who fidgeted uncomfortably under all the attention.

"Mah, you makwin carmal today?" Violetta jumped up and down eagerly, tugging at the arm of her mother.

"If you're nice, maybe I will. Say bye to Hikari, okay? She'll come tomorrow, so be good, or else you can't say hi to her!" Serena knelt down to her daughter's level, waving goodbye to Dawn. The young child soon mimicked the actions of her mother, waving as well.

"Bye, sweetie! I'll see you tomorrow, Serena!" Hikari called back, smiling.

She looked at her feet, dwelling in her thoughts. She broke out of her thoughts, stopping abruptly as she heard a gasp from behind.

_"Dawn?"_

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Crappy, short, disgusting chapter is crappy, short, and disgusting.

I've just been way busy. In between balancing a half decent social life, schoolwork, and my own hobbies and my job, I've also had to apply to a bunch of district alternative programs that begin in grade 9, next year. I've had to start planning for interviews and on top of that, I basically have four projects in progress right now. So yes, I've been extremely busy and it's sucked all of my creative juices out of me. But I've got a four day weekend_, _and getting more than 7 hours of sleep is really doing wonders for my muse. So yes, expect an update for Vulnerable and my prompts fic VERY soon. (: Dare I even say this coming week?

Yep, crappy overused adjectives ftw.

oh, and if any of you want to chat with me on Tumblr, you can PM me for it.

I won't bite (:


	8. VII: Eye of the Storm

**disclaimer; **I don't own Pokemon.

* * *

><p>All's Fair in Love and War<p>

-x-

_eye of the storm_

-x-

_and you see the sun_

_warm, peaceful_

_but behind the rays_

_of june sunlight_

_lie stormclouds in wait_

_-_x-

"Shhh!" Dawn's eyes were wide, desperation in her tone as she dragged the teenager into the alley, her voice hushed.

"What are you doing? Everyone's frantic!" the girl hissed, her red hair a vivid shade of orange in the dim sunlight. Dawn's heart fell, and she ran a hand through her hair, a habit she'd picked up from Paul.

"I had to get away." Dawn mumbled sheepishly, kicking at a rock absently with her foot. Misty stared at her reproachfully, before attacking her in an infamous Waterflower Hug.

"Arceus, I was so worried. Don't _ever _do that again, you hear me, Berlitz?" Misty demanded, glaring pointedly at Dawn, who only laughed weakly in response. "Where are you staying? Don't _dare _tell me you're roughing it in the streets. A priss like you can't get her dress dirty."

Despite herself, Dawn burst out in a fit of laughter, the fear of having been discovered ebbing away. It was only Misty.

Misty Waterflower.

"Don't say that so loudly, I'm Hikari Saisei." the blunette wiggled her eyebrows, causing the carrot top to smile slightly. "And my dress is perfectly fine."

She twirled in the rough cotton frock, the taupe colour such a contrast from the powder blue or soft pink gowns she was usually found in.

"But who are you with, seriously?" Misty repeated stubbornly, crossing her arms.

Dawn blushed, fidgeting uncomfortably.

"Erm, the Shinjis." she admitted, playing with the hem of her dress. Misty blinked, before cracking up.

"I _knew _it! You have a thing for Paul, don't you? Arceus, I knew it! Ash owes me four rubics then!" the carrot top looked smugly at the blunette, rubbing her hands together eagerly.

Dawn's jaw dropped, a blush creeping onto her cheeks.

"I do _not_!" Dawn stammered, stumbling over her words. She cursed herself for never paying attention to her presentation tutor. She wanted to melt in embarassment at the look Misty was shooting her. "Who are you to go betting on my personal life anyway?"

"Since the first day you declared me your best friend." Misty winked, sticking her tongue out.

"I don't like Paul." Dawn mumbled.

"Then you're the type of guy who goes for older guys? Reggie, then?" Misty joked, barely able to compose herself before cracking up at the end of her sentence.

Dawn wrinkled her nose.

"No! Arceus, no! And Reggie's with Maylene, no?" Dawn grinned back. Misty paused to consider this.

"Maylene and Reggie. Maylene Shinji. Sounds good." she shrugged, her cerulean eyes twinkling. Dawn rolled her eyes, unable to keep the amused twinkle out of her eyes.

"Arceus, when did you become such a matchmaker? And how is _Ash _doing, hm?" Dawn said suggestively with a raise of her eyebrows.

Misty grinned broadly, before biting her lip and furrowing her brow.

"You know Reynaldo is furious, right?" Misty pointed out, tapping her foot almost thoughtfully.

"How bad?" Dawn winced, flipping her hair over her shoulder, her gaze on Misty.

"He had the leader of your search party killed when he couldn't find you. The official word is that he contracted black flu and died." the carrot top shrugged, raising her eyebrows at Dawn's bewildered expression. "It's Reynaldo Cadavera, D-Hikari. What did you expect?"

"Arceus." she muttered, wringing her hands.

The sky was beginning to dim, the grey haze of dusk beginning to drift into the horizon.

"It's getting late now, Ash will be expecting me home." Misty said finally, breaking a long and uncomfortable silence.

"_Misty Waterflower's getting marrieeed sooon..~" _Dawn sang under her breath, giggling at Misty's affronted huff. She patted the carrot top on the shoulder. "Hey, don't worry, I've got to be back soon too."

"Because I'm an absolutely lovely person, I won't make fun of you about that. Now, I won't tell anyone about you, alright?" Misty smiled warmly, tapping her friend on the crown of her head like she always did. "Now goodbye."

"Arceus bless, Misty." Dawn called out, a smile on her face.

Misty only grinned back, turning around and waving once before bounding across the street corner.

The wind whistled through the bare tree branches, goosebumps crawling up her flesh, but Dawn only smiled to herself, a warmth that only Misty could bring surging through her.

Suddenly, the prospect of Reynaldo didn't seem nearly as terrifying.

_-_x-

"What are you making?" Dawn questioned, sinking into the ratty red armchair and leaning over towards the mauve haired boy.

Paul scowled, picking up his knife blade and continuing to work away at a tiny section of firewood.

"Are you whittling?" Dawn asked quietly, not wanting to irritate him.

"Yeah." he growled, working the knife blade over the bark and letting the sheets of bark fall to the floor. "I'm making a Staraptor. For Reggie. It's his birthday, soon."

Dawn noticed the tiny jars of dye and varnish placed carefully on the table next to him. She walked over, turning the jar around in her fingers. It was a tiny bit, maybe no larger than the jars she'd place her makeup in back in the palace.

"Is this berry juice?" she asked, watching the blood red dye swirl around in its container.

"Do you ask this many questions every day?" Paul snapped back, his brows raised. He placed his blade on the table, blowing at the piece of wood.

Dawn watched as the shavings of sawdust danced in the air momentarily, before resting on the bare brick of the floor.

"It's a bunch of different things. The red is berry juice, yeah. Some of the darker stuff is Sawsbuck blood though. The blue is crushed mineral from the river, and the green is ground up grass stalks with some plant bast skin and water. The varnish is something I picked up from a trader." Paul said, pointing at the jars of dye as he spoke.

"Sawsbuck blood?" Dawn wrinkled her nose, although she'd come to terms about Paul's poaching since the first night he'd dragged home a Lopunny, his telltale arrow sticking out of its eye.

"You do what you have to." Paul shrugged, whittling away at the curve that would become the Staraptor's neck.

"Hm." Dawn hummed, leaning over to watch Paul work, neither of them saying much.

Paul whittled away the wood, the shavings falling to the floor as he cut, sanded, and varnished the wood into a work of art. Soon, the Pokemon began to take shape- the eyes, the neck, the chest, and the gracefully folded wings and the way he stood erect, ready to fly. Dawn could almost imagine the Pokemon crooning. The male paid attention to every detail- the soft down feathers that peeked through, the attentiveness in its eyes, every grove in its clawed talons.

"Hey, that's nice." Dawn grinned, looking at Paul in question. He nodded, exasperated, handing over the varnished Staraptor to Dawn. "You've got talent, Paul."

"Too bad talent doesn't mean shit." Paul rolled his eyes, grabbing a straw broom and sweeping up the shavings. He dumped it unceremoniously outside the front step of their house, and Dawn resisted the urge to chastise him, before remembering that she was, in all technicality, their guest, and decided to keep her mouth shut.

"You could sell those." Dawn pointed out rationally, her voice level.

"What, me, rugged old Shinji, become an artisan?" Paul smirked, sweeping his bangs out of his eyes with an elbow as he washed up his hands, which were sticky and splintered from handling the wood and varnish.

Dawn ignored the pounding in her chest at that one simple action, and grinned.

"Why not? Make out for the wild, sell whatever you have, live under bridges, do what you must! Sounds adventurous!" she giggled, gesturing wildly.

Paul raised an eyebrow, amused by the girl's naivety.

"Your perception of reality is skewed, Troublesome," Paul said blankly, gesturing for Dawn to get up. "Do you have a jewelry box?"

"Sorry?" Dawn blinked, and Paul sighed, his tone changing as if he was talking to a toddler.

"A _jewelry _box, Princess. You know, a box for necklaces and all that? The one you keep all your shiny pearls and sparkling diamonds in?" Paul repeated, impatient. Dawn felt herself frown at how presumptious he was being.

"I happen to detest pearls and diamonds," the blunette huffed indignantly.

"Does it look like I give a Stantler's shit?" Paul snapped back. "Do you have one or not?"

"Yes, I do, but wh-"

"I need to put the Staraptor in it, so Reggie doesn't see. It's traditional, see?" Paul growled, eliciting a blush from Dawn.

"I-I'll go get it." Dawn squeaked, running off to her corner of the room and rummaging between her sheets.

"Troublesome girl..."

-x-

"What's it like? Just... being normal?" Dawn asked, her dagger in her hands, her porcelain skin calloused and hard from weeks hunting in the woods.

Despite her upbringing, Dawn was pretty handy with a blade, and she'd been lent Reggie's old hunting knife to follow Paul into the woods. Paul had protested, but admitted he needed a decent hunting partner, not one that went traipsing through the woods, scaring off the prey (Dawn noticed Reggie flushing slightly at Paul's words at this point).

"Normal? You know normal doesn't exist," Paul scoffed, pulling back his bow until the string was taut, quickly releasing it and watching the arrow fly cleanly into the Buneary's eye.

"Hm." Dawn hummed, attentive as she heard the slow crunching of dead leaves. She licked her lips, before turning around and throwing her dagger, which landed in the flank of an unsuspecting Girafarig.

"Nice." even Paul looked impressed, and Dawn felt a blush creeping onto her cheeks, so she made her way towards the fallen Girafarig and busied herself with cleaning off her knife. "Can't believe a princess like you would have such deadly aim."

"So don't piss me off, Shinji." Dawn laughed weakly, as she reluctantly opened the eyelid of the Girafarig. Dead, gone, cold as stone. Trying to suppress the sinking in her heart and reminding herself that this Girafarig would feed herself and the rest of the Shinjis for a week. The guilt still weighed on her shoulders, so Dawn groaned and wiped the knife clean of blood with a rag, looking away from the corpse.

"You forget I shoot Pokemon through the eye with an arrow, right?" Paul laughed decisively, before crossing his arms. "Are you still squeamish, Princess?"

Dawn huffed, indignant.

"Well, sorry, Skuntank Man, this is sort of new for me, if you can't tell." Dawn said defensively, grinning as the smug look on Paul's face faded away.

"Skuntank Man? Mature, Princess." Paul growled, but there was a faint dusting of pink on his tanned cheeks, something that didn't go unnoticed by Dawn.

"Well, yeah, I mean, you practically live in the woods, and you've got purple hair too. I thought you'd be offended if I called you Stunky Man, so I made you manlier and made you Skuntank Man." Dawn grinned childishly, blowing at the knife before sticking it back onto its holster, which was fastened in a belt securely around her waist.

"Tch." Paul scoffed, cheeks pink.

"Aw, is Paul blushing?" Dawn teased, grinning.

Paul pulled her aside, stepping closer and locking his eyes on hers.

Dawn felt the heat rise to her cheeks as his dark, smoky onyx eyes lingered on hers, reflecting the depths of his soul and yet so mysterious.

Paul's lips upturned in a sardonic smirk.

"Aw, is Dawn blushing?"

-x-

Dawn didn't know what they were- reluctant friends, acquaintances, or something more?

There was something behind his eyes, a kind of unrestrained desire, a hunger that roared behind his slate grey irises.

Not that she'd risk a relationship with him- with Cadavera breathing down her neck and holding a knife to her throat, she barely dared breathe for fear he'd jumped out the next bush, wielding a sword and screaming curses at her.

Reggie's birthday came and past, with him marveling over Paul's handiwork as the mauve haired teenager handed him the Staraptor carving. We had a feast of Girafarig and wild berries that Paul recognized from his stay in the Appalachia region of Unova. They tasted tangy and sour with an aftertaste of sweetness- not unlike Paul.

"What are we?" she asked one day, as she nervously skinned the feathers off a Starly she'd shot.

"Whatever the hell you want us to be, Princess." Paul scoffed bitterly, refusing to raise his gaze from the sheath of arrows he was cleaning with a dry rag.

Dawn blushed and bit her lip, quickly averting her gaze to the ground.

"Well.. what do _you _want us to be, then? Friends?" Dawn finished lamely, feeling a blush creep onto her cheeks at the look Paul gave her.

His eyes lingered a little too long, before he threw down his rag and sighed.

"Sure. Friends. Whatever the fuck makes your little royal heart happy."

-x-

"When are you going to be leaving?" Genevieve asked nervously, shivering as Stefan's warm breath tickled her ear.

"Whenever you want, love." he answered huskily, letting his hand linger on her waist as he leaned down for another kiss, sucking on Genevieve's lower lip.

"No, but in seriousness..." Genevieve continued, smiling shyly as Stefan's hands trailed over her body, letting her hands come to rest on the small of his back.

"Whenever Cadavera decides to give up on this wild goose chase." Stefan answered, sighing. His eyes glinted. "Do you know where Dawn is?"

"I may have a few ideas." the young pinkette smirked, placing a finger on his lips. "Now shut up, will you?"

"Yes, ma'am." Stefan smirked, kissing her again.

She loved how protective his arms were, and she felt safe and secure in his arms. She felt that familiar lightness in her chest, letting the butterflies in her stomach guide her as she felt his lips on hers.

She moved her lips with his, her tongue swiping his lips occasionally. He nibbled her lower lip as he sat up straighter, and Genevieve's body followed his. Stefan's hands fell to her waist, and hers came to rest on his shoulders.

Genevieve felt that primal hunger claw at her, roaring in her chest. She _wanted _him, and she kissed him with more need and more passion. He sucked in his breath.

"I love you." he whispered, and Genevieve felt her heart skip a beat.

"You fool." she smiled, watching his brows knit together in confusion. "I love you too."

Stefan smiled, smiling that stupid lopsided grin that could make her day.

"Take me to stars." Genevieve whispered, and she felt him stiffen.

"Are you sure?" he breathed, his breath hot and inticing against her ear.

Genevieve answered with a kiss.

He kissed her, letting his tongue explore her mouth, and leaned forward, pressing himself against her.

"I'm always sure when I'm with you."

-x-

"You may now kiss the bride."

Weddings in the village were never anything special- more often than not, they were married by a local pastor at the church, and then left to celebrate with whatever family or friends they had.

They were still a cause for celebration, especially when it was Ash and Misty getting married.

Ash smiled, his brown eyes lighting up as he leaned down and brushed his lips against Misty's. The carrot top blushed, before pulling him into a deeper kiss.

"That is adorable," Dawn giggled to nobody in particular.

"It's gag inducing." Paul scoffed.

He was dressed in a plain woven shirt with nicer pants, and Dawn wore a knee grazing blue dress that Reggie had found in Luna's closet.

"You're just boring." Dawn laughed, smacking Paul good naturedly on the arm.

Paul rolled his eyes, smirking as Dawn's eyes lit up at the sound of Drew playing the guitar.

"Hey, let's dance!" Dawn dragged Paul out, her smile fading as Paul crossed his arms.

"I don't dance," Paul answered simply, but Dawn was relentless.

"It's just one dance." she insisted, but Paul didn't waver.

Dawn frowned, before she grinned.

"I don't need you to dance!" she pointed out, and went into the throng of dancing people.

Paul watched as she danced, first with Drew and Ash, then with a young girl he identified as Violetta.

A man approached her, maybe twenty five, and a sudden flare of protectiveness washed over him.

He strode over to her, taking her hand and leaning closer to her.

"Can I talk to you?"

He glared at the crestfallen man, watching him walk away, back hunched in disappointment, before turning to face Dawn, amused by the blush painted on her cheeks.

"S-sure." Dawn blinked, letting Paul lead her to a spot closer to the flowers, where the wild pansies grew.

"You look nice." Paul smirked, and he watched as Dawn blinked nervously, her eyelashes catching the weak sunlight.

"T-thanks." she mumbled, face pink, taking a sudden fascination in the shoes she had on.

"Sometimes, Troublesome, I wonder what you find so interesting about your feet," Paul rolled his eyes, sitting down next to her.

"They're nice shoes," Dawn replied weakly, refusing to meet Paul in the eyes.

The two fell into an amiable silence, both of them quiet but observing- Paul noticed the way her eyes flitted between him and the ground, Dawn noticed how his thumbs fiddled with the hem of the dress shirt he had on.

Dawn's face brightened, and she leapt to her feet, entertwining her fingers with his. He tried to ignore how her fingers fit perfectly between his, soft and delicate against his own callous fingers.

"Let's dance!" she giggled, eyes bright.

"There's no music, Troublesome," he retorted, gesturing towards the large clearing where the faint music of fiddles could be heard.

"Who said we need music?" she laughed, twirling, and he watched, watching how she giggled, how the skirt of her dress billowed as she spun. "Whoa, I'm dizzy now..."

"Must of been that spinning," Paul rolled his eyes, reaching out to steady the blunette, who seemed a bit woozy.

"Maybe," she smiled, her eyes glancing up to meet his momentarily. "now let's dance."

She pulled him up, and Paul felt a sudden tightening in his chest, a warmth that spread from his stomach that he really couldn't ignore.

"No, I'm not much for dancing," Paul answered coolly, and Dawn shrugged, as if to say '_well, suit yourself,' _as she danced and twirled, laughing and singing along to the flock of Starlys that had come to rest on a nearby branch, watching the dancing blunette with a quiet fascination.

"_Maybe the skies are falling, and maybe the stars are shining-" _she sang, and Paul laughed softly to himself.

"Where'd you learn that, Troublesome?" he questioned, and Dawn stopped, furrowing her brows.

"My mom used to sing it, when she took me out on a walk. We'd walk along the pathways in the woods, and she'd point out all the stars and constellations in the night sky. She used to sing, too, and dance, like I did. But her singing voice was so beautiful, even the Starlys stopped to listen."

Her voice became quieter, and her eyes fell, clouded with emotion.

Paul stood up, taking her hand into his and pointing at the birds that sat on the branch, cocking their heads, wondering why Dawn had stopped singing.

"Looks like they stopped to hear you sing too."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Oh boy that's embarrassing.

I don't even know what half my plot is anymore

I need to reread my own writing someday. I have continuity issues, I know u_u;

uugh, apparently, my teacher told me I've been writing dialogue wrong for the past eight years. So I'm sorry. I'm in the process of changing but I CAN'T, guh.

I hate this chapter ew.

Reviews, please?


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